2:21pm: The team has announced the DL stint, saying that Parnell is dealing with shoulder tendinitis, per Matt Ehalt of the Record (via Twitter).
12:36pm: The Mets have placed right-handed reliever Bobby Parnell on the 15-day DL, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports (Twitter links). While that is not terribly interesting in its own right, Puma adds that the team first gave Parnell the choice of being designated for assignment or accepting an optional assignment to Triple-A.
Parnell, 30, still seems to be working his way to full strength after Tommy John surgery, and Puma notes that he’ll likely hit the DL with some kind of elbow fatigue cited as the reason. But the real cause of the move is the lackluster performance of the club’s former closer. Over 19 1/3 innings on the season, he’s permitted 12 earned runs, 24 hits, and 12 walks while registering only ten strikeouts.
Needless to say, the road back from his TJ procedure last spring has not been a smooth one for Parnell. His progress was slower than hoped at times, and his average fastball velocity is down nearly two miles per hour from the 95.1 mph it registered in his last full season (2013).
With the move to the DL, Parnell won’t be capable of returning to the active roster for two weeks. And it remains to be seen what the Mets intend to do thereafter. While rosters will have expanded in the interim, the club’s apparent willingness to designate him does not seem to bode well for his chances at opportunities down the stretch (and into the postseason). Parnell will be a free agent after the season, and as things stand he’ll be looking at a one-year deal to rebuild his value.
Some will say to be more patient and understanding with Parnell.
I am not one of those people. Good move, Sandy.
We’re being plenty patient and understanding by letting him spend some time not pitching for us.
Agreed with roywhite’s comment…the heat of a pennant race is not a time for patience with the relief staff. Parnell has been through a ton of medical issues with his ACDF surgery, then TJ. His pitches have never featured much movement. He got by on a combination of near 100 mph plus control. Parnell showed signs of becoming an effective reliever earlier in his 2015 campaign. He did so by leveraging his breaking pitches. For Parnell to pitch again (effectively) in the MLB, he’ll need to evolve from a thrower into a craft pitcher.
THANK YOU SANDY. Bring back Verrett, he was terrific and should have stayed with the team all year frankly. And hopefully Erik Goedell is back soon, he tossed 20 fantastic innings before getting hurt early in the year.
Those guys are solid options. Dario Álvarez should be up soon too.
Yep. There’s also Josh Smoker, who has been outstanding this year. He’s only in AA, though (but then again, he’s 26), so if he comes up, I’d imagine it wouldn’t be til September.
Its a shame that Parnell has been a bust, Mejia got suspended and Vic Black seems to have the yips but if they get innings from Verrett, Goedell and maybe actually start using Gilmartin in situations that matter, they can get by.
The Pirates are really hoping he is DFA’d, and the cards or cubs pick him up.
He is dead weight…dead’er than Cadaver’s bat.
It’s too bad they got pretty much nothing from Cuddyer this year. Three singles since he’s come back and his OBP is now below .300.
Verrett can (and will) step into the pen and produce. He has shown some nice advances over the past yr w. pitch selection and control. Goeddels also has looked good, though I’m not quite sure why he is still in AAA and not back up w. the big club.