Mets' Christian Scott shut down for two weeks in attempt to avoid major surgery
Christian Scott of the Mets pitches during the first inning against the Rockies at Citi Field on July 13. Credit: Jim McIsaac
At the outset, Christian Scott and the Mets will try to avoid the worst.
Their plan is to shut down the rookie righthander for two weeks, then build him back up and get him back on the mound this season. That amounts to a low-risk test to see how the sprained ligament in his elbow responds.
If it works, as it did last summer when Scott encountered a similar issue, that is a big win.
If it doesn’t work, well, it doesn’t work. They would have to more seriously consider Tommy John surgery or a similar operation.
“It’s not the worst-case scenario, which is awesome. It’s a sigh of relief for now,” Scott said at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday, a day after landing on the injured list. “Being able to get in that game and test it, that was the goal for last year. It seems like the same thing for this year.”
The Mets are going the so-called rest-and-rehab route for several reasons, including Scott’s injury seemingly not being very severe. But there also is the timing aspect, which Scott mentioned multiple times.
“If I get [surgery] now or within two months from now, I’ll still be ready for 2026 and beyond,” he said. “If I’m able to push through and it feels good in-game, this is something we can continue to ride and continue to be comfortable with, we’re in [good] position for next year.
“That’s exactly what happened last year. That’s the plan for this year as well.”
Given that timing and where the Mets are on the baseball calendar, “might as well try it,” Scott said.
“At the same time, I feel really confident about the information we have now,” he said. “And everybody is on the same page about it.”
Manager Carlos Mendoza said: “We feel pretty good with him being back here at some point before the year is over.”
A sprain is a stretching or tearing of a ligament, which in Scott’s case is the infamous ulnar collateral ligament. His UCL has between a grade 1 and a grade 2 sprain, according to a person familiar with his condition.
Grade 1 means the ligament is stretched but not torn, according to Cleveland Clinic. Grade 2 means it is stretched and maybe partially torn. (Grade 3, the worst grade, means it is completely torn.)
Scott said he didn’t receive a definitive grade because inflammation made the MRI difficult to read.
“They didn’t mention a tear,” he said.
His elbow was “tight” and “just didn’t feel right” after pitching Sunday against the Marlins, so he reported that to the Mets, he said.
Calling on his experience in 2023 — when he was in the minors, missed about three weeks in late August and early September and returned for two abbreviated starts — Scott said he was comfortable that rest is the best immediate-term answer.
“I feel confident about the position we’re in now,” he said. “Obviously, it’s better than the worst-case scenario right now, so taking that with a grain of salt and trying to move forward with it.”
Notes & quotes: The Mets signed Carson Benge, their first-round draft pick. Benge is a 21-year-old outfielder from Oklahoma State . . . Mendoza said they haven’t decided who will start in Scott’s place Saturday against Atlanta. Jose Butto (major-league bullpen) and Tylor Megill (Triple-A rotation) are options. Mendoza said of Butto: “I don’t know if we can commit to him starting Saturday, because we might need to use him before we get there” . . . The Mets pushed Sean Reid-Foley’s rehab assignment with High-A Brooklyn to Sunday, so that he can throw another live batting practice session Thursday instead. Mendoza said that was because Reid-Foley’s mechanics felt off this week.
Tim Healey is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. Born on Long Island and raised in Connecticut, Tim has previously worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Boston Globe and MLB.com. He is also the author of “Hometown Hardball,” a book about minor league baseball in the northeast.
