Mets Rumors: Seth Lugo Will Begin The Season On The Disabled List
New York Mets Rumors: Starting pitcher Seth Lugo was aiming to earn the last spot in the team’s bullpen. Instead, he will start the 2017 season on the disabled list.
Recent New York Mets rumors again involve injury news. During spring training, Seth Lugo was competing with Zack Wheeler and Robert Gsellman for the fifth starting spot in the Mets rotation. Unfortunately, a recent issue with his right arm will prohibit him from making the Opening Day roster.
Lugo has recently been experiencing arm fatigue. On Saturday, he underwent an MRI on his right arm. Although the MRI revealed that there is no structural damage to his arm, the Mets still decided to place him on the disabled list. Marc Craig of Newsday reported that Lugo will not be on the Opening Day roster.
Sources: Mets to place Seth Lugo on DL. Rafael Montero to make Opening Day roster. Lugo had MRI today. No structural damage found.
— Marc Carig (@MarcCarig) April 1, 2017
The arm fatigue most likely stems from the fact that Lugo had a taxing workload this spring. Not only did he pitch for the Mets in Spring Training, but he also played for Team Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic.
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He made three starts for Puerto Rico, going 2-1 with a 4.20 ERA. Although he pitched well in his first two starts, Lugo had a rough outing in the World Baseball Classic final against the United States. He allowed four earned runs over four innings of work, and Puerto Rico went on to lose to the United States 8-0.
Because Lugo is now unavailable to begin the season, Rafael Montero will get the final spot in the Mets bullpen. Montero has struggled tremendously at the Major League level in his short career. In nine games last season, three of which were starts, he went 0-1 with an 8.05 ERA.
Back in 2015, he appeared in five games and posted a 4.50 ERA. At one time, Montero was one of the Mets’ top pitching prospects. So far, however, he just has not panned out. The Mets are hoping that he will build off of what was a very solid spring training.
Montero logged 18 1/3 innings this spring and had an ERA of 1.96. He definitely earned a spot in the bullpen but will have to prove himself in order to keep it.
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Once Lugo is ready to return, there is a good chance that he will have a spot in the bullpen. If someone in the Mets starting rotation gets hurt or has to miss a start, he can step in. Depth is extremely important when it comes to pitching, so hopefully, Lugo will be back with the team soon.