An already suspect Mets bullpen took a huge hit on Tuesday when an MRI exam revealed closer Bobby Parnell has an incomplete tear of the medial collateral ligament in his right elbow.
Parnell received a platelet-rich plasma injection and has been prescribed rest for about two weeks, after which he will begin a throwing program that will determine if he needs surgery, according to the Mets.
It’s just the latest setback for Parnell, who missed the final two months of last season with a herniated disk in his neck that led to surgery.
The fireballing right-hander normally flirts with triple digits on the radar gun, but didn’t come close to that velocity in spring training, when his fastball hovered in the low 90s. He struggled on Monday, blowing the save in the ninth inning in the Mets’ 9-7 loss to the Nationals in 10 innings. In that game, Parnell couldn’t finish off Danny Espinosa for the final out after getting ahead 1-2 in the count. Espinosa fouled off three pitches and ultimately earned a walk before Parnell surrendered a game-tying RBI double to Denard Span
After that performance, Parnell told team medical personnel he had tightness in his right forearm, prompting the MRI exam on Tuesday at the Hospital for Special Surgery.
With Parnell sidelined, veteran Jose Valverde is expected to fill the closer’s role, at least in the short-term. If Parnell needs an extended absence, the Mets could begin looking at available free agents.
But a club source indicated the Mets most likely will exhaust their possibilities from within the organization before looking outside. The team expects to have veteran Kyle Farnsworth in New York on Wednesday to take Parnell’s roster spot and still has options such as Vic Black and Jeff Walters at Triple-A Las Vegas.
Black began the offseason as Plan B at closer if Parnell wasn’t going to be ready but had a dreadful spring training that included allowing 10 walks in 9 ¹/₃ innings and posting a 5.79 ERA. If Black, who was optioned to Las Vegas last week, can show better control, he eventually could be considered for the closer’s role.
The Mets still are reluctant to move Jenrry Mejia back to the bullpen, but if Parnell needs an extended absence the organization could consider expediting the arrival of Rafael Montero and Jacob deGrom in relief roles.
On the free-agent front, Joel Hanrahan, who is returning from Tommy John surgery, could be an option. The Mets were among the teams that scouted the veteran right-hander over the winter, and Hanrahan will hold a showcase for interested teams in the coming weeks, according to an industry source. But Hanrahan might not be ready for a return to the big leagues until June.
Kevin Gregg, Ryan Madson, Francisco Cordero, Octavio Dotel and Vin Mazzaro are other available bullpen options.
With concerns over Parnell returning from the neck surgery, the Mets attempted to sign Grant Balfour before spring training, but the veteran right-hander accepted a two-year deal worth $12 million — an offer similar to what the Mets had on the table — to pitch near home in Tampa Bay.
Valverde has extensive closing experience — he was 49-for-49 in save opportunities for the Tigers in 2011 — but there are questions whether the 36-year-old has enough remaining in his right arm.
Valverde signed a minor-league deal with the club before spring training and had a solid Grapefruit League season for the Mets. He pitched 1 ¹/₃ scoreless innings in Monday’s opener and was the lone bright spot in a bullpen that surrendered five runs over the final 3 ¹/₃ innings. Manager Terry Collins had Valverde pegged for the eighth-inning role, leading into Parnell.
Carlos Torres, Scott Rice, Jeurys Familia, John Lannan and Gonzalez Germen are the remaining components of the bullpen behind Valverde and Farnsworth. The Mets were against the idea of thrusting Familia into the eighth-inning role, despite his strong spring, but may have to reevaluate given the new circumstances.