Among a flurry of bullpen moves on Wednesday, the New York Mets placed right-hander Reed Garrett on the injured list with right elbow inflammation. Additionally, the team optioned rookie Eric Orze to Triple-A, recalled southpaw Danny Young, and activated trade acquisition Phil Maton.
RHP Phil Maton has been activated.
RHP Eric Orze has been optioned to Triple-A Syracuse.
RHP Reed Garrett has been placed on the 15-Day IL with right elbow inflammation.
LHP Danny Young has been recalled from Triple-A Syracuse.
— New York Mets (@Mets) July 10, 2024
The breakout reliever has struggled in recent weeks and will head to the injured list following an awful outing. On Tuesday night, Garrett allowed two hits, one walk, and three runs in just 2/3 of an inning.
Mets Place Reed Garrett on Injured List
Garrett, 31, has been one of the more important arms in the beleaguered Mets bullpen this season. He earned one of the final bullpen spots with a solid spring training and quickly made his mark. In his first 18 games, the righty tossed 26 innings and posted a 1.04 ERA with a whopping 43 strikeouts.
With his lights-out performance, Garrett gradually earned more trust of manager Carlos Mendoza. With key relievers struggling, injured, or suspended, Mendoza has not shied away from frequently using Garrett, especially in big situations.
Unfortunately, Garrett’s performance has declined slightly, leading many to wonder about overuse. Across his past 18 outings, he produced a 7.88 ERA and 20 strikeouts in 16 innings. In this time, he has given up five homers despite relying on a heavy split-finger that should generate ground balls.
Reed Garrett over the last 2 months,
23 appearances
2-3, 6.26 ERA, .287 AVG/.876 OPS againstHere’s the key stat
On 0 or 1 days of rest:
0-2, 7.47 ERA, .297 AVG/.954 OPS against, 29.7% K, 13.5% BBOn 2+ days of rest:
7-1, 1.37 ERA, .200 AVG/.574 OPS against, 37.3% K, 10.9% BB https://t.co/eqkyrxoUS2— Christopher Soto (@SotoC803) July 10, 2024
There is no timeline for his return, but the Mets will place Garrett on the injured list at an advantageous time. He must miss a minimum of 15 days. New York’s bullpen is well-rested for Wednesday. Plus, the All-Star break next week will cover four more of the 15 days.
So, the team is entering a stretch where it can afford to give Garrett, an oft-used pitcher who’s likely fatigued, some time off. It could be speculation since the severity of the injury isn’t publicly known, but it’s possible that the Mets placed Garrett on the injured list now to strategically manage his workload and give him extended rest.
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