NEW YORK — The Mets placed Danny Young on the injured list with an elbow sprain Wednesday, leaving their bullpen without a left-hander after it began the season with two.
The move is retroactive to Sunday.
Speaking after his team’s 4-3 loss to Arizona on Wednesday night, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Young had been dealing with some forearm issues for a few weeks. Imaging taken Wednesday morning revealed the sprain.
Asked if Tommy John surgery is being discussed, Mendoza added: “It’s on the table.”
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A decision will probably be made within a couple of days, Mendoza said. A treatment program of rest and rehabilitation remains an option — but the 31-year-old pitcher will be unavailable for an extended period regardless.
Young’s setback comes three days after lefty A.J. Minter landed on the injured list with a lat strain. On Tuesday, Mendoza disclosed that Minter is contemplating season-ending surgery due to the “pretty significant” injury.
Mendoza said the 31-year-old Minter underwent a second MRI on Wednesday to gather more information before deciding whether to undergo the procedure or opt to rest and rehab, which would open the door for returning this season. He expects Minter, who signed a two-year contract worth $22 million over the offseason, to decide in “another couple of days.”
Young and Minter are the only left-handed relievers to pitch for the Mets this season. Minter recorded a 1.64 ERA in 11 innings over 13 appearances as a high-leverage setup option. Young, 31, posted a 4.32 ERA in 10 games (four earned runs across 8⅓ innings). Young last pitched Saturday, tossing a scoreless sixth inning with three strikeouts against the Washington Nationals.
“That’s about as bad timing as you can get, huh?” Young said Wednesday night. “It’s unfortunate. Obviously, Mint, he’s a big piece for us. And then Mint goes down and then I obviously want to pick up that slack and, you know, that’s just the situation we’re in now.”
Without a lefty in the bullpen, the Mets will be subject to more platoon disadvantages late in games. Entering Wednesday, Mets right-handed relievers have combined to hold left-handed hitters to a .226 batting average and a .698 OPS in 179 plate appearances this season.
“Guys will step up,” Mendoza said before the Mets revealed Young’s injury. “And it doesn’t necessarily have to be a left-handed pitcher. We got righties who we feel facing lefties and how they match up against them. So guys will continue to get opportunities, and they will step up. But we feel good with our depth. We feel good with the guys that we got in there.”
The Mets called up veteran right-hander Chris Devenski to replace Young on the active roster.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
