The New York Mets invested heavily in their bullpen at the trade deadline but don’t have much to show for it. Outside of All-Star closer Edwin Diaz, the group has been unreliable, with injuries and underperformance to blame.
While the Mets certainly hope their fortunes will change, concerns aren’t going anyway. If anything, they now have another worry on their hands.
Right-hander Reed Garrett, a bright spot earlier this season, was placed on the 15-day injured list Monday because of inflammation in his right elbow.
Garrett, 32, has already made a career-high 54 appearances, recording a 3.51 ERA with 62 strikeouts in 52.1 innings. He also has three saves.
Jose Castillo was called up from Triple-A Syracuse to take Garrett’s place on the roster. The veteran left-hander earned a win in relief — his first since 2018 — in Monday’s 13-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies, pitching a scoreless inning.
Why is Reed Garrett on the IL?
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza revealed that Garrett has had a hard time recovering between recent outings. Garrett felt sore after playing catch Sunday, and the team decided to finally get him checked out.
A subsequent MRI showed inflammation but no structural damage.
“Obviously we use this guy a lot,” Mendoza said, via SNY. “As of late, the past couple of weeks even on days that people probably thought he was available, we were staying away from him because he was having a hard time until yesterday after he played catch, it’s like we’re going to take a look at this.”
Garrett’s last appearance came Friday in Atlanta. He allowed three hits and two runs in one inning in a 12-7 win.
Garrett was one of baseball’s best relievers through May, posting a 0.73 ERA and 12 holds in 24.2 innings, but his performance has really suffered over the last few months. He owns an 8.00 ERA in August, which includes allowing multiple runs in three of his last four appearances.
How Long Will Reed Garrett Be Out?
The Mets seem to have avoided the worst-case scenario, with the club optimistic that Garrett will miss the minimum amount of time after tests showed no ligament damage.
Mendoza said Garrett will get a cortisone shot and could resume throwing in a couple days. Per NJ.com’s Andrew Tredinnick, Garrett is expected back within two weeks.
The club wasn’t as fortunate with right-hander Frankie Montas, who will miss the rest of the season and possibly all of 2026 with “pretty significant” damage to the UCL in his elbow. The club said Tommy John surgery is a possibility for Montas, who signed a two-year, $34 million deal in December but was demoted to the bullpen after failing to stick as a starter.
How Does the Injury Affect the Mets’ Bullpen?
Garrett’s role had been minimized after the Mets added Gregory Soto, Tyler Rogers and Ryan Helsley at the trade deadline.
Expected to be a strength, the newly reconfigured bullpen has a 3.75 ERA over the last 30 days.
New York is 70-61 and holds a 2.5-game lead over the Cincinnati Reds for the final NL wild card.
Mets Place Key Reliever on IL After Elbow Injury