PHILADELPHIA — Jon Niese’s season is in jeopardy after Mets doctors yesterday diagnosed the pitcher with a partial tear of the rotator cuff in his left shoulder.
The 26-year-old lefty, who was placed on the disabled list, departed early from his start in Atlanta Thursday night with soreness in the shoulder he believed stemmed from a recent bout of tendinitis. But an MRI exam yesterday at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York revealed the extent of the injury, according to assistant general manager John Ricco.
Surgery has not been prescribed for Niese, who will rehab with physical therapists for the next two weeks before another MRI is taken to measure any progress.
“According to the doctors, it’s a small enough tear that they are hopeful he won’t need surgery,” Ricco said before the Mets’ 4-3 victory over the Phillies last night at Citizens Bank Park. “It’s not a full-thickness or significant tear at this point.”
Niese, who signed a five-year deal worth $25.5 million with the Mets before the 2012 season, is 3-6 with a 4.32 ERA in 14 appearances this year. He missed a start against the Marlins this month because of tendinitis in the shoulder. Ricco said there was no evidence of a tear in the shoulder when the tendinitis was diagnosed.
Ricco would not speculate on how long Niese might be sidelined other than to say the pitcher will rest for the next two weeks.
“Jon Niese was our No. 1 guy coming out of spring training,” manager Terry Collins said. “This does not help us. We are very lucky that we have Zack Wheeler in our organization and we have some more [pitchers] coming. This tells you that you cannot have enough starting pitching.”
Wheeler, who made his major league debut in Game 2 of a doubleheader on Tuesday in Atlanta as the 26th player on the roster, is scheduled to rejoin the Mets on Monday in Chicago and pitch the following night against the White Sox.
Collins was employing a six-man rotation this week and considering who among Dillon Gee, Jeremy Hefner and Shaun Marcum should be bumped to the bullpen or sent to Triple-A Las Vegas if applicable. But now, with Niese’s injury, no choice will have to be made.
Carlos Torres would be next line to join the rotation, according to Collins, should the need arise for another starting pitcher.
“Now [Torres] protects us as we head into a situation if Dillon’s elbow flares up again or if somebody takes a ball off the kneecap, we’ve got somebody who can back us up,” Collins said.
Gee, who has battled elbow tendinitis since spring training, is scheduled to start today against the Phillies. Matt Harvey would pitch tomorrow, followed by Wheeler on Tuesday and Marcum on Wednesday.
Greg Burke was recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas to take Niese’s roster spot. The team will have to make a move before Wheeler rejoins the team from Las Vegas to make his start against the White Sox.