MLB

Dillon Gee overcomes a rough start in rehab outing

Dillon Gee’s first appearance in a game for the Brooklyn Cyclones since 2007 didn’t start as well as he might have hoped.

Making his second rehab start in his comeback from a strained right lat muscle, the Mets righty gave up a double, a hit-by-pitch and two singles to the first four batters he faced, giving the Staten Island Yankees a run and the early lead.

However, once the Yankees appeared poised for more, Gee got down to business. He struck out the next two batters to get himself out of the jam, and then fanned two batters apiece in the second and third innings, allowing no more runs.

“[I was] definitely a little erratic at first,” Gee said. “I’m not gonna lie, I had a little adrenaline going in this game because it was my first time out in a couple of months in front of a crowd.”

In 2 ²/₃ innings, Gee allowed four hits, one walk and one run. He struck out six and threw 36 of his 55 pitches for strikes.

“The changeup [and] slider [were] pretty good, but I struggled with fastball command,” Gee said.
Gee said he felt fine physically during the game, but cautioned that the bigger test has yet to come.

“The goal is to see how I feel tomorrow, and talk to the team doctor,” he said.

After the Yankees’ 5-4 win, Cyclones manager Tom Gamboa said Gee will pitch for the Cyclones on Friday and then return to the Mets on July 9.

This is Gee’s second attempted comeback from the injury. Last month, he was forced to cancel a bullpen session on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend due to discomfort. He said he hopes this time around his body allows him to return in short order.

“I think you just try to take it slow and really listen to your body,” he said, when asked if he knew it was the right time to try and come back. “It’s a day-by-day process.”

With the Mets having lost three of four games over the weekend in Pittsburgh to sink back to eight games below .500 at 37-45, Gee is champing at the bit to get back to the big leagues.

“I’m very eager,” he said. “It’s tough watching your friends play, and there’s where I want to be. It seems like I’ve been out forever, and it’s not fun. It’s frustrating that I had that setback, but now I’m almost there — I can feel it, and the last thing I want to do is rush things.”