Reese Kaplan -- Another Ambulance for the Mets Pitching Staff

Well, when we all saw Griffin Canning stumble off the mound and collapse in obvious pain the collective gasp over what might have happened was probably matched by as many folks offering up a collective, “Not again!” which is understandable given the number of injuries the team has already faced this season. 

Early indications are that the ankle injury as it was first announced may involve the Achilles tendon which is a major long term horror story for professional athletes.  According to the sources I’ve found, if indeed it is a rupture then the recovery period is similar to a best case for Tommy John Surgery.  They say go home the same day after surgery, remain in a cast from below your knee to the foot to force the position of the injured area to remain in a pointed position. 

After two weeks or so in the cast it becomes time to revisit the medical personnel to remove the stitches used during surgery and then decide whether to return to the cast or to transition to a medical walking boot.  This boot, if used, will have quite a few inserts to force the foot into the position deemed medically necessary.

When another two to four weeks have passed during this part of healing then it is time to use the boot without quite so many inserts and to allow the foot to achieve a more neutral position.  This arrangement still requires the use of crutches to take weight off the injured foot, but it continues for several more weeks.

The next stage is at the 6-8 week period where baby steps of up to ten seconds per attempt allow the patient to begin putting light pressure on the foot.  There is still no permitted high impact exercise.  This interval depends on physical therapy success and the patient’s conditioning.  For a professional athlete it may be a bit shorter in duration but it’s fully expected to exist in this manner for up to six months. 

At this point the boot would go away and the patient could resume normal activities, but the expectation is that it could take up to another six months before you consider healing complete.  In some patient situations the weakened area after the injury never fully returns to complete strength.

It’s no hobbling walk in the park for Griffin Canning.  We don’t yet have clarity on the extent of the injury.  It’s possible to proceed with non-surgical approaches if there isn’t a full rupture but it’s not likely to see Canning back in 2025 (after which he is a free agent). 

So where does that leave the Mets in their never ending quest for healthy starting pitching?  Well, let’s see...

Kodai Senga is playing catch and doing mound work for workouts and therapy, but he has not yet begun appearing in games.  He is likely not expected until mid to late July.

Sean Manaea had that loose body issue in his elbow and apparently the initial feedback is that it may not be as bad as some have feared.  He is expected to resume in-game pitching towards the end of next week or the beginning of the following one.

Starter turned reliever Max Kranick with his right flexor strain is having a long term issue.  He is under complete rest before returning to the mound.  He will not look to return until sometime in August.

Fill-in starting pitcher Tylor Megill is out with an elbow sprain on his pitching arm.  The prognosis is to allow up to two weeks of rest to allow the inflammation to subside and then to resume with rehab starts beginning in mid July.

 

Then there are minor league pitchers who could be brought in as temporary substitutes until some of the more veteran players are healthy and ready to return.  The obvious first choice would be Blade Tidwell who has had a couple of starts for the Mets already this year.  They’ve burned an option and it would make sense to take full advantage of it.

Nolan McLean is also in AAA right now.  This high level Mets pitching prospect is posting terrific numbers but has had very little time in Syracuse.  Thus far the 23 year old has made 6 starts and appeared in 8 games.  He has a 2.68 ERA with a good WHIP but has walked a few too many.  To promote him would use one of his available options for what may only be perhaps 4 weeks of need.  Still, many folks would rather see the cream of the minor league crop than someone who is not regarded with the same perceived future. 

 

David Stearns could look to the outside to find a DFA’d starter from another team or to engage in some kind of minor trade but it would be somewhat questionable about that approach as you usually don’t make permanent changes to solve temporary problems.  Still, starting pitching is needed and depth is not in abundance in AAA.  Some might even want to see the Mets reach down to AA to promote Jonah Tong but it’s highly unlikely for them to burn an option on someone who has not yet advanced to AAA.