Injured Mets starter ready to take next step in rehab

The New York Mets have been without offseason pickup José Quintana early in the season thanks to a spring training rib injury that required surgery. The veteran southpaw had some positive news on Friday afternoon, though. After receiving encouraging results on a recent CT scan, Quintana told reporters he was set to begin throwing off a mound for the first time since March (relayed by Tim Healey of Newsday).

Quintana is in for an extended rehab process. He will need to build up arm strength and progress to throwing live batting practice sessions before embarking on a minor league rehab stint that is sure to encompass multiple starts. During the spring, the Mets provided a July estimate for Quintana’s return to Major League action. While there is no indication that his initial timetable has changed, it is a positive development that his recovery is progressing as anticipated.

New York has had one of the least productive rotations in the bigs thus far, entering play on Friday with a 5.29 rotation ERA that ranks 25th leaguewide. That should improve with Justin Verlander back from an early-season injured list stint and Max Scherzer unlikely to carry a 4.88 ERA all season. Still, with Carlos Carrasco allowing nearly an earned run per inning and underwhelming work from depth starters David Peterson, Tylor Megill and Joey Lucchesi, the Mets could certainly use some stability from Quintana in the second half of the campaign.

The latest on some other health situations around the game:

• The San Diego Padres placed starter Seth Lugo on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to May 17, due to a right calf strain. Southpaw Ryan Weathers was recalled from Triple-A El Paso to replace him in the rotation. Signed to a two-year free agent guarantee, Lugo has made eight starts in his move back to the rotation from the bullpen. He has acquitted himself reasonably well, posting a 4.10 ERA with a roughly league average 21.3 percent strikeout rate across 41 2/3 innings. The 33-year-old right-hander is looking to reestablish himself as a starter and could retest the market next winter. His $15M contract allows him to opt out of its final year and $7.5M at season’s end.
• Jacob deGrom threw a 25-pitch bullpen session this afternoon, writes Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. It has been three weeks since the two-time Cy Young winner hit the injured list with elbow inflammation. deGrom told Grant and other reporters he came out of the session feeling good, opining that he has “turned a corner” in his ramp-up. Texas Rangers skipper Bruce Bochy indicated on May 9 the club felt deGrom was two to three weeks from a return to a big league mound. While it doesn’t seem he will be back within the next few days, all indications are that his issue isn’t as alarming as it first seemed given deGrom’s health history. Last offseason’s big-ticket free agent addition has a 2.67 ERA with an elite 39.1 percent strikeout percentage in his first 30 1/3 innings in a Ranger uniform.
• The Cleveland Guardians put starter Peyton Battenfield on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to May 18, with inflammation in his throwing shoulder. The rookie righty has been a member of Cleveland’s rotation since his mid-April call-up. He has started six-of-seven appearances while struggling to a 5.19 ERA through 34 2/3 innings. The Oklahoma State product has a modest 18.5 percent strikeout rate and has already given up seven home runs. He spent virtually all of last season with Triple-A Columbus, where he worked to a 3.63 ERA over 28 starts. Battenfield’s next turn through the rotation was scheduled for Monday, meaning that the Guardians will need to settle on a replacement for that series opener against the Chicago White Sox.
• The Atlanta Braves placed reliever Dylan Lee on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to May 17, on account of shoulder inflammation. Fellow southpaw Lucas Luetge was activated from an IL stint of his own in a corresponding move. Lee was somewhat quietly among the best relievers in the game last season, when he worked to a 2.13 ERA while striking out 29.4 percent of batters faced in 50 1/3 innings. He has faded off that pace this year, but still carries a solid 3.10 ERA and 27.1 strikeout percentage in 20 appearances. Luetge, acquired in an offseason trade with the Yankees, has made just five appearances with his new team thanks to a bout of biceps inflammation.