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7/16/19

Tony Plate - Mets Put Wheeler on IL

                                               
SAFE AT THE PLATE, WITH TONY PLATE


The New York Mets put Zack Wheeler on the ten-day injured list because of shoulder fatigue, which could make things difficult to trade the pitcher who will be a free agent at the end of the season before the July 31st deadline. 

The team made the move retroactive to Friday. He will be eligible to be activated on July 22nd.  The team said that the injury was discovered after the All-Star break. 

Wheeler is 6-6 with a 4.69 earned run average in nineteen starts this season, striking out 130 and walking 34 in 119 innings. The Mets took two out of three games against the Miami Marlins this past weekend. 

They announced that Steven Matz will start in Wheeler’s place tonight against the first place and very tough Minnesota Twins.

It is a tough break for both Wheeler and the Mets that this injury occurred. Before the 2019 season began the Mets had high expectations for Wheeler since he went 12-7 with a 3.31 Earned Run Average in 29 starts last season. He really stepped up during the second half of last season. 

His last eleven starts consisted of a 9-1 record with a 1.68 Earned Run Average and 73 strikeouts over 75 innings. Wheeler is hoping that he will duplicate that performance during the second half of this season. 

He kept his promise before the season started and has not allowed his upcoming free-agent status to be a distraction, because even though his earned run average is high his strikeout-walk ratio total is fine.

General Manager Brodie Van Wagenen would like to trade away players that are eligible for free agency, which also means that Todd Frazier and Jason Vargas will be on the trading block. The New York Yankees are one of the teams rumored to be interested in Wheeler. 

A trade between the two New York teams would be interesting since they do not do that much business with each other. The Mets are hoping to get a top prospect in return for Wheeler, but it may be difficult to do so since Wheeler will be a rental.

In other Mets news Matt Kemp was released by Triple-A Syracuse last weekend. He was a three-time All-Star and was 8 for 34 with a home run after signing a Minor League contract with the Mets back in May. He was released on May 4th by the Cincinnati Reds after being sidelined since April 23rd with a broken left rib.





7 comments:

  1. I cannot blame Wheeler completely for his ERA - the defense has caused some runs, the bullpen has been lousy.

    A big game for Matz tonight. Will we ever see a dominating Matz? He reminds me of Jon Niese.

    Kemp I guess will retire, unless he chooses to come back and try one more time to continue his MLB career. it was worth a try by the Mets.

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  2. If it wasn't for bad luck they'd have no luck at all.

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  3. Mets' Cream sinks to tbe bottom, Reese.

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  4. And curdles.

    Calls to mind comedian Jeff Dunham's conversation with his grumpy old man dummy named Walter. He said, "Women age like fine wine." Walter replies, "My wife ages like milk!"

    That pretty much sums up the Mets.

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  5. TFraz: 0 for again, 4 KO's.

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  6. I think Wheeler will finish strong the rest of the season

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  7. The Mets have lost some tough games

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