New York Mets rookie Christian Scott will need specialized surgery on his pitching elbow, which will force him to miss not only the end of the 2024 season but all of 2025 as well.
Scott, who has been recovering from a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his right arm, will undergo a combination Tommy John ligament replacement and internal brace surgery.
The hybrid surgery, which will be performed by Dr. Keith Meister next week, is different from traditional Tommy John surgery and typically doesn't require as much recovery time.
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New York Mets pitcher Christian Scott in the dugout before a game against the Washington Nationals at Citi Field. (Brad Penner-Imagn Images)
But with the end of the regular season next week, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Scott's recovery will likely extend into the 2025 season.
“I think it's fair to say next year is over,” he said. “That's why we waited. If this was the decision, he knew he was done anyway, so he took the shot.”
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Scott, who hasn't pitched in an MLB game since July 21, pitched last month but struggled with a slower pitch as he tried to speed up his recovery.
“Once I start throwing above 82, 83 mph, it starts to feel the same way it did before,” Scott said about throwing off-speed pitches. “I've had discussions with a lot of the medical staff and a lot of the players here and we've decided this is the best decision going forward.”
New York Mets starting pitcher Christian Scott (No. 45) pitches the first inning against the Miami Marlins at LawnDepot Park. (Sam Navarro – USA Today Sports)
It will be a tough test for Scott, who was named the Mets' minor league pitcher of the year with a 2.57 ERA before being called up to the big leagues. Scott has a 4.56 ERA in nine starts (47.1 innings) for the Mets.
Scott knows he has a long road to recovery, but he also understands that this is a natural part of being a pitcher.
“I love going out there and competing and I love what I do,” Scott said. “It's the best job in the world, but at the same time, this is what we signed up for. It's disappointing, but at the same time, I'm just going to take it in a positive way and go out there and be the best version of myself that I can be every day and do everything I can to be in shape to compete in '26.”
New York Mets starting pitcher Christian Scott (No. 45) was replaced in the fifth inning of the game against the Colorado Rockies at Citi Field. (Wendell Crews – USA Today Sports)
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Scott was selected in the fifth round by the Mets in the 2021 MLB Amateur Draft after a successful career with the Florida Gators.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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