Mets Place Tylor Megill on 60-day Injured List

 

Tylor Megill walking off the field with the trainer and pitching coach Jeremy Hefner on Thursday, June 16. Photo by Jason Schott.

The Mets announced on Monday afternoon that starting pitcher Tylor Megill was transferred to the 60-day injured list. The Mets also announced that they claimed infielder Kramer Robertson off waivers from the Atlanta Braves, and that Colin Holderman has been returned to the roster after his rehab assignment with Triple-A Syracuse.

Megill is 4-2 on the season with a 5.01 ERA, as he threw 41 1/3 innings, allowing 23 runs (all earned) on 39 hits and 11 walks. It initially looked like he could return in late July, about when they're expecting Jacob deGrom to make his first start of the season, so their hopes of having a full-strength starting rotation have been dashed until late August. The one positive is that Max Scherzer is ahead of schedule, and is set to return next weekend after he makes his second rehab start on Tuesday night.

Megill left his last start on Thursday, June 16 night'with what was termed "right shoulder discomfort" and that he would undergo imaging on the next day, and he was diagnosed with a right shoulder strain and has been placed on the 15-day injured list. 

The news Monday means it is obviously more serious that how his rehab was laid out in the press release on June 17: "The immediate plan is for him to be shut down from throwing and re-evaluated in four weeks." 

Megill was putting together an incredible season, as he basically took deGrom's spot in the rotation when he was injured in the last week of spring training, and he put up numbers befitting the two-time Cy Young winner.

Through April 29, when Megill was one of five starters to combine on a no-hitter of the Philadelphia Phillies, he had a record of 4-0 with an ERA of 1.93.

Megill then had a pair of difficult outings. On May 4, in a game the Mets eventually lost, 9-2, to the Atlanta Braves. he allowed three runs on four hits and two walks, with nine strikeouts. A week later, on May 11, he allowed eight runs on eight hits, including two home runs, and a walk, in just 1 1/3 innings in an 8-3 loss in Washington the Nationals.

The following Sunday, May 15, the right-hander was placed the 15-day injured list with biceps tendinitis. 

Megill wouldn't make a start for nearly a month after the brutal night in Washington, as he faced the Angels in Anaheim on Friday, June 10. He pitched decently, allowing two runs on five hits and a walk, with four strikeouts, but only lasted 3 1/3 innings in a game the Mets went on to win 7-3.

On Thursday night, against the Milwaukee Brewers, he sailed through the first three innings, as he notched five strikeouts. He only and surrendered a single to Hunter Renfroe in the third, and he was then erased in a Jace Peterson double play, so he only faced the minimum nine hitters.

Megill was working with a 1-0 lead as the Mets got a run in the first inning against Milwaukee starter Aaron Ashby, as Jeff McNeil singled home Mark Canha, who drew a walk to open the game.

It all turned for Megill in the fourth, starting with Christian Yelich taking one to the opposite field, in the front row in left field, for a solo home run to tie the game.

Megill then struck out Willy Adames before allowing singles to Rowdey Tellez and Luis Urias, and a walk to Andrew McCutchen to load the bases. While Omar Narvaez was batting, and the count 0-1, the Mets trainer, Manager Buck Showalter, and Pitching Coach Jeremy Hefner went to check on him, and he was pulled from the game.