Mets reveal that Tyrone Taylor had two surgeries
New York Mets' Tyrone Taylor hits an RBI-double against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the second inning in Game 2 of a baseball NL Championship Series, Monday, Oct. 14, 2024, in Los Angeles. Credit: AP/Mark J. Terrill
Mets outfielder Tyrone Taylor had two surgeries recently, the team announced Friday, with a return-to-play timeline of two months, suggesting he should be fine for the start of spring training.
First, Taylor underwent an umbilical hernia repair in Arizona on Oct. 30. Then, Taylor had a right elbow loose body removal Thursday in New York.
Loose bodies are tiny pieces of bone or cartilage that break off and float in the joint, often causing pain and limited mobility.
Both injuries were new information at the time of the Mets’ announcement.
Taylor, who turns 31 in January, served as the backup outfielder for most of his first season with the Mets, providing above-average defense at all three spots in addition to about league-average offense (including a .248 average and .701 OPS). He took over the centerfield job from an underperforming Harrison Bader during the playoffs.
At the start of what should be a busy offseason for the Mets, Taylor is atop the centerfield depth chart. President of baseball operations David Stearns indicated this week that he would be comfortable with Taylor as the first option at that important position but said the Mets would explore the free-agent and trade markets for an upgrade or complementary piece.
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.
