NEW YORK — The Mets placed Danny Young on the injured list with an elbow sprain Wednesday, leaving their bullpen without a left-hander for the time being after it began the season with two.
The move is retroactive to Sunday.
The Mets called up veteran right-hander Chris Devenski to replace Young on the active roster.
Young’s setback comes three days after lefty A.J. Minter landed on the injured list with a lat strain. On Tuesday, manager Carlos Mendoza disclosed that Minter is contemplating season-ending surgery due to the “pretty significant” injury.
Mendoza said the 31-year-old Minter underwent a second MRI on Wednesday to gather more information before deciding whether to undergo the procedure or opt to rest and rehab, which would open the door for returning this season. He expects Minter, who signed a two-year contract worth $22 million over the offseason, to make a decision in “another couple of days.”
Young and Minter are the only left-handed relievers to pitch for the Mets this season. Minter recorded a 1.64 ERA in 11 innings over 13 appearances as a high-leverage setup option. Young, 31, posted a 4.32 ERA in 10 games (four earned runs across 8 ⅓ innings). Young last pitched Saturday, tossing a scoreless sixth inning with three strikeouts against the Washington Nationals.
Without a lefty in the bullpen, the Mets will be subject to more platoon disadvantages late in games. Entering Wednesday, Mets right-handed relievers have combined to hold left-handed hitters to a .226 batting average and a .698 OPS in 179 plate appearances this season.
“Guys will step up,” Mendoza said before the Mets revealed Young’s injury. “And it doesn’t necessarily have to be a left-handed pitcher. We got righties who we feel facing lefties and how they match up against them. So guys will continue to get opportunities and they will step up. But we feel good with our depth. We feel good with the guys that we got in there.”
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