PHOENIX — The Mets’ plan for returning to a six-man rotation has been discarded, after the team yesterday optioned Jeremy Hefner to Triple-A Las Vegas, with the expectation he will be placed on the disabled list today.
Hefner, who has struggled in the second half, said he’s pitched much of the season with right-elbow discomfort that has become more pronounced recently. He will be examined today at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. If Hefner is placed on the DL, his assignment to Las Vegas is negated.
“I’m hurting the team now, and so I needed to say something,” said Hefner, who has posted a 9.13 ERA in his five starts since the All-Star break. “It’s been fairly manageable the whole year, but it started to creep up with a little more intensity of late.”
Hefner, who had a 1.76 ERA over seven starts to finish the first half, speculated his injury might stem from getting drilled on the right elbow by a Carlos Beltran line drive in spring training.
“Once I get to the 70- or 80-pitch range, I’m completely out of gas,” Hefner said. “And I don’t feel like I’m as strong as I was.”
Mets general manager Sandy Alderson indicated the roster decision was made yesterday instead of waiting until Hefner was examined today because the team needed to clear space for Jon Niese, who was removed from the DL to pitch against the Diamondbacks in a 9-5 win.
Even with a five-man rotation, Alderson said there is a good chance Matt Harvey and Zack Wheeler, who are facing innings limits, will have a chance to pitch through September. The combination of off days and inserting an occasional spot starter may allow the Mets to let Harvey and Wheeler approach the finish line.
“We probably would have moved in this direction anyway,” Alderson said, referring to the five-man rotation. “But we needed to make the move now for another roster spot for Jonathon Niese.”
* Wilmer Flores said he was presented with the ball he hit for his first major league homer by a young Mets fan who caught it. Flores gave the fan an autographed ball and said he intends to give his mother the home run ball.
* If there’s anything the Mets like about facing the sizzling Dodgers it’s they won’t have to face Clayton Kershaw or Zack Greinke in the three-game series that begins tonight at Dodger Stadium.
* Marlon Byrd received a rest, giving Mike Baxter the start in right field. Byrd entered the game as a defensive replacement in the ninth inning.