The bullpen of the New York Mets just suffered a serious blow and it’s all thanks to a sidewalk. No, seriously.
Lefty reliever Jerry Blevins, who had been progressing from a fractured distal radius bone in his pitching arm suffered in April, slipped stepping off a curb and re-broke the bone, the Mets announced on Thursday. He is expected to undergo season-ending surgery next week.
The 31-year-old Blevins initially injured the arm fielding a comebacker in a game against the Marlins on April 19. He had not pitched since but was optimistic to rejoin the bullpen before the season ended. Blevins finishes the 2015 campaign having made seven relief appearances without giving up a single run.
With the Mets currently in a heated battle with the Nationals for NL East predominance, they really could have used a lefty specialist like Blevins down the stretch, particularly in a potential playoff run. Situational relievers are an increasingly coveted strategic asset as the season winds down, and the Mets will definitely miss him.
Fortunately however, the team just acquired lefty Eric O’Flaherty from the A’s. Though the bullpen depth suffers greatly with the news about Blevins, O’Flaherty should help fill the hole he continues to leave in late-game scenarios.
Hopefully Blevins’ unfortunate misstep, just the latest in a series of funky sports injuries we’ve seen recently, doesn’t curb the enthusiasm of Mets fans about the rest of the season.
