The Mets announced to reporters, including Tim Healey of Newsday, that reliever Sam Coonrod has a high-grade strain of his right lat. The club has yet to provide a timeline but even mild lat strains usually lead to weeks-long absences.
For Coonrod, 30, it’s a concerning and frustrating development as its two years in a row now with a similar beginning. He also dealt with a shoulder strain in March of last year while with the Phillies and didn’t return to a big league mound until August. He ended up posting a 7.82 ERA in 12 appearances down the stretch and got designated for assignment in January.
The Mets decided to take a flier and grabbed Coonrod off waivers. Though his 2022 campaign was frustrating, he was solid the year before, posting a 4.04 ERA over 42 appearances. He struck out 25.9% of batters faced in that time, walked 8.1% and got grounders at a 57.1% clip. The club was surely hoping that improved health could get the right-hander back to a performance like that and he looked to be on a good trajectory this spring. He tossed five scoreless innings, striking out seven batters while allowing just a single walk and two hits.
Unfortunately, that progress will now be put on hold for what could be a significant amount of time. The club will surely provide more updates eventually, but the MLB website features a guideline on lat strains, highlighting that a Grade 1 strain usually requires an absence of a few weeks, Grade 2 at least a month and Grade 3 even longer, perhaps requiring surgery. Once more information is revealed, there will be a clearer picture of what lies ahead, but it should be a meaningful time on the shelf either way.
The Mets weren’t relying on Coonrod to be a key piece of their bullpen, but they have tried to save a few spots for optionable arms. With Edwin Díaz, Adam Ottavino, David Robertson, Brooks Raley and Drew Smith likely having five jobs spoken for, there was potentially three spots available to be used by various relievers on a rotation basis. Since Coonrod has one option year remaining, he was going to be in that mix alongside guys like John Curtiss, Elieser Hernández, Jeff Brigham and Stephen Ridings. As long as Coonrod is out, it could open up more time for those guys or a non-roster invitee like T.J. McFarland, Tommy Hunter or Jimmy Yacabonis.
season is over
Ugh Coonrod was looking really good so far
Coonrod was solid with the Phils in 2021. Injuries derailed him in 2022, but I thought he would be a valuable addition to the Mets pen this season. It’s a shame to see the injuries come back.
as a Phillies fan I def agree. it looked like he was going to be a stud plus he has a bit of a bulldog mentality. still want my Phils to rule but I wish Coonrod well.
I feel like one of those gremlins from the WW2 airplanes in Bugs Bunny cartoons has been loose in the Mets clubhouse for a couple years
It is Wilpon holdovers. Cohen needed to clean house but he decided to bring Sandy Alderson back and keep the Wilpon flunkies employed.
Couldnt happy to a more checkbook friendly team…
I guess it’s too early to declare themselves WS champs ?
Mets pitchers are dropping like flies LOL
Imagine saying “LOL” when a player gets injured. Really classy, bud.
No disrespect to Coonrod, the LOL applies to Mets.
It’s complete disrespect to Coonrod. He’s injured and you’re writing LOL.
And even if it is directed at the Mets… why? Did they hurt you in some way? Why are you here on every Mets article doing this? Do you have anything better to do? You’ve been doing this for years. You’re here happy their players are getting hurt. That’s pathetic. Get another hobby, dude.
Get off your high horse RCT. He meant what he said he meant. Go be holier than thou elsewhere.
You need some tissues, rct? Go woke someplace else.
@ rct
100% correct. It’s the reason why I’ve slowed on commenting here. The amount of hate and negativity is just not fun, baseball is a game to be enjoyed and so I’ll enjoy it my way. I’ll let the keyboard warriors have it the way they like it. There are still some on here that I enjoy having conversations with like VonPurple and a few others, the rest just get muted.
Just in case anyone wants to attack my comment please feel free, I will happily ignore. My life is way too good to pay attention to ANY negativity.
@miltpappas: It’s “woke” to call someone out for being happy about injuries? Give me a break.
@Clepto: High horse? There’s an injury and his reaction is “LOL”. Some of y’all around here are extremely weird.
We saw worse yesterday with fans happy Quintana had a tumor removed, which will now also require a bone graft.
Mets posts are toxic. I find myself coming here less and less because they’re just filled with hatred from trolls like RobRock30, MarlinsFanBase, and the LFGMets guy below.
I agree. I believe they might even be more toxic than Yankee posts, which previously set the high bar, err, low bar. The Mets right now are the target of the envy and anger of many fan bases, particularly Marlins, Phillies and Braves fans. I’m not even a Mets fan, but I have noticed the tone change. That said, Metsfan22 didn’t help! I don’t even know what he goes by now. Maybe that’s a good thing.
Ironically, some of the better posters on here are Yankee fans!!…..and,of course,Von
For all these injured relievers, the Mets could of used that money to sign Brad Hand. Durable consistent left handed reliever that had a one month stretch in the past 5 years where he pitched bar. Would instantly be the third best reliever on the team. Mets need to trade for him from the Rockies ASAP. Should of just signed him to begin with but Big Brained Billy Eppler was too busy picking his teeth with a toothpick and patting himself on the back for spending 400 million on a 90 win team
What I don’t understand is the only position players he signed were C Omar Narvaez and OF Tommy Pham to an offensively challenged roster lacking a true DH.
Too stubborn to part with Darin Ruf so the roster is cluttered with debris.
@Robrock30 The problem is that Eppler wayyyyyyy overpaid for Nimmo. 160 million for 8 years of probably 2 years in CF and the rest of the 6 years hes gonna be a corner outfielder. There were so many better options for CF for a cheaper price like Benitendi, Bellinger, trade for Reynolds, or just play Canha in CF. That 160 mil could of been spent better. Personally I would have jumped at Trea Turner and made him the everyday 3rd/2nd baseman. McNeil can be moved around. Or they could of traded for Arenado 2 seasons ago when they had the chance. Lindors contract is probably the worst in baseball. This organization has just spent money the wrong way
They lack power, not offense. Mets hit a ton and scored plenty of runs. Their offense is very good.
True they lack power and are station to station running the bases with Vogelbach clogging up the bases. They have needed a true DH for the longest time. Last year they used Cano, JD Davis & Dom Smith there until they realized they weren’t getting any production. They traded for Vogelbach and Darin Ruf as a platoon solution which doesn’t work.
Catching & 3B were weak offensively last year and I don’t view Canha as a starting LF offensively. They have offensive shortfalls and adding Tommy Pham and Omar Narvaez doesn’t exactly improve them.
I thought it was a no brainer that NYM would DFA Ruf right after the season. He’s clearly regressed to the version of himself that the Phils cut loose several years ago. The FO must know something the rest of us don’t.
The FO, aka Eppler, is just an utter fool. He doesn’t know anything about baseball
The Mets uniform looking good on Luke Combs.
Mets and Giants competing for most spring injuries.
The one thing Cohen can’t buy is health.
Also Love. Money can”t buy me love.
Nope, but if you’re desperate, money helps you rent it.
Mets are breaking all their pitchers before the season even starts! Save a few for the regular season geez
And there goes one of the expensive ones…
Phillies fan here….The NL East looks to be a be a great fight all year long. Kinda felt the team got disrespected last year. (the whole new WC thing)
Phillies played by the rules and won….and went to WS…. no big deal in the end.. Those who hated will hate….until their team benefits??
What I do enjoy is good baseball and I’d love all 3 teams to be as healthy as possible. I can’t stand the Mets and Braves….but would never wish injury…Here’s to a season long race and much health to all….
Cogent and classy comment. Cheers Poet!
His picture attached to this article looks like he’s pitching with discomfort. Hopefully he can heal up and contribute.
Looks like Tommy Hunter could make the team now. He’s had a good spring and has been sneakily good when fully healthy the past few years.
He’s got LSD (lat strain disease).
Sorry he’s injured, I don’t wish that on anybody. Wasn’t a fan of his when he pitched for the Giants. Definitely a “me first” guy
Big Sexy is jumping up and down, waving his arms in the air as we speak yelling out,
“Call Me!”