The best news came on the afternoon the Mets clinched a playoff berth with a 7-0 victory over the Nationals at Citi Field.
Reid Garrett, the star of the bullpen this season, should be fine.
There was serious concern within the club after the prized right-hander reported discomfort in his elbow and forearm and, on Tuesday, he said he had cramps and lost feeling in the ball, so all eyes turned to his UCL.
But after being examined by several doctors, Garrett was diagnosed with neuritis and will miss two to four weeks, Carlos Mendoza said.
“It’s a big relief,” the Mets manager said Thursday about Garrett, who was pitching for the third time in four days with a thin bullpen when the alarm sounded.
The right-hander couldn’t close out Tuesday’s win over the Nationals, giving up a two-run homer to Keivert Lewis and walking Jacob Young before Edwin Diaz had to take over in a blowout win.
Cramps and loss of feeling in the hands help explain the top of the ninth inning.
“I’d never experienced anything like this before,” said Garrett, who has 36 appearances among Mets relief pitchers, second only to Jake Diekman (38). “I just felt something wasn’t right and I wasn’t playing well. Obviously that made it a stressful game. That just kind of snowballed into it.”
Garrett’s ERA has risen to 3.64 and he has struggled a bit as he’s pitched more, but he remains arguably the best reliever the Mets have had since the start of the season.
“Obviously, there are some things that could be cleaned up,” Garrett said, “but I’m just glad everything’s OK.”
Luis Torrens got Lane Thomas out trying to steal second base, and the backup catcher caught seven of 10 stealing attempts.
That 70 percent mark, if recognized, would surely be the best in baseball. Among catchers with at least 150 innings, Kansas City’s Freddie Firmin led the way with 43 percent entering Thursday’s game.
Phil Mutton pitched a perfect seven innings with two strikeouts in his Mets debut. The eighth-year veteran the Mets acquired in a trade on Tuesday looked like the same pitcher Mendoza has seen so many times over the past few seasons.
“It’s the same guy. The ability to spin the ball and keep the hitter off balance, keep the attack going, get strike one, get a whiff. The same Phil Mutton. [whom] He’s very knowledgeable. I’m glad he’s on my side.”
