Bobby Parnell hasn’t boarded the elbow surgery bus with several of his major league peers yet. But the cruiser is running while the Mets and their closer try to determine if his 2014 season is already over.
Parnell was diagnosed with a torn medial collateral ligament in his right elbow Tuesday. After Monday’s 9-7 opening day 10-inning loss to the Nationals, the reliever complained of pain in his forearm. Parnell received a platelet-rich plasma injection in the elbow Tuesday morning and will rest for two weeks before being re-evaluated. If the PRP injection doesn’t promote healing in the ligament, the right-hander will likely require surgery. (However, this wouldn’t be Tommy John surgery, since it’s the MCL that’s torn, rather than the UCL.)
Coming in to protect a 5-4 lead, Parnell blew the save in the ninth, allowing an RBI double by Denard Span that tied the score at 5-5. Overall, he gave up one run on two hits and a walk.
But as the New York Daily News‘ Andy Martino reported, the Mets were already concerned about Parnell’s diminished velocity. Throughout spring training, his fastball was clocked between 89 and 91 mph. That’s quite a drop from the 95 to 97 mph heat he’s typically thrown during his career. The leadoff single Parnell allowed on Monday came on an 89 mph fastball.
Yet lack of movement is also a problem. Parnell hit 94 mph on his fastball to Span, but it was straight and located out over the plate, basically teed up for the game-tying double.
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Jose Valverde winning a spot on the Mets roster during spring training was already an indication of how thin the team’s bullpen was. He was terrible in an early-season stint with the Tigers last year, compiling a 5.59 ERA in 20 appearances. But guess who’s taking over as closer with Parnell sidelined?
Valverde, 36, was the relief standout in Monday’s loss, pitching 1.1 hitless innings with three strikeouts. In Grapefruit League play, he gave up four earned runs in 10.2 innings with 10 hits allowed and seven strikeouts.
