The fatigued right shoulder that forced a stay on the disabled list for Mets reliever Taylor Buchholz is fine and healed. But the 29-year-old right-hander is not ready to return to the team because he is battling far different problems: depression and anxiety.
The pitcher and the team made Buchholz’s condition public last night before the start of the Subway Series at Citi Field. Buchholz is on prescription medications and has been advised by his doctors not to pitch while taking the medicines.
“Last season with the Rockies, I experienced some depression and anxiety before returning from Tommy John surgery,” Buchholz said in a statement released by the team. “I thought I had it under control, but recently, at the end of May, of this year, the depression and anxiety began to re-surface. After consulting with my doctor, I agreed to try different medications and it was recommended that I not pitch while I adjust to the new medications.
“I am in regular contact with the Mets and have kept them informed of my progress. I am extremely grateful for the way the Mets have cared for me and my family,” Buchholz concluded.
Mets general manager Sandy Alderson, who stressed that he only could discuss the medical matter because he received permission from Buchholz to do so, said the shoulder issue and the depression-anxiety problems arose “within close proximity” and it was possible that “the shoulder contributed to the other issues.”
And Alderson said Buchholz, who is 1-1 with a 3.12 ERA, felt it was important to reveal the true nature of his situation, which obviously goes beyond a shoulder strain.
“Taylor felt it was important for his situation to be clarified, and we did too, to the extent he’s at home resting his strained shoulder. That doesn’t really portray it as it is,” Alderson said. “He felt it was important, and we felt at some point we needed to disclose this and at the same time he had to become comfortable with the public disclosure, which is a separate issue in itself. But he’s doing well. He’s seen progress and we’re hopeful he’ll be back.
“The shoulder we think is fine now,” said Alderson, who claimed the Mets will monitor the situation and let Buchholz progress at his own schedule.
As for how far back the entire physical and mental ordeal has set back Buchholz, who appeared in 23 games before landing on the DL on June 2, Alderson said it’s not like the reliever is starting from scratch.
” I wouldn’t say he’s starting that far back, but being at home he’s not doing a lot of baseball activity — it’s not as if he were in Port St. Lucie,” Alderson said. “But I think that will delay him somewhat, but I don’t think it sets him back.”