Tylor Megill is “most likely” headed toward elbow surgery, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Saturday, while Reed Garrett’s next steps remain uncertain.
Megill was set to meet in-person with a specialist in Los Angeles about an injury to the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right elbow.
Should he require Tommy John surgery, Megill would likely be out for the 2026 season as well.
The Mets were still awaiting more information on Garrett, who is dealing with what Mendoza described as a ligament strain.
“There’s a couple of options that have been recommended,” Mendoza said of Garrett. “But we’re still waiting for a couple of the doctors to review it.”
Megill, 30, landed on the injured list in mid-June with an elbow sprain. The right-hander began a rehab assignment on Aug. 12 and made six starts in the minor leagues, but he was shut down this month after experiencing elbow tightness in the last one.
The injury interrupted a career-best season for Megill, who was 5-5 with a 3.95 ERA and 89 strikeouts in 68.1 innings over 14 starts.
Garrett, meanwhile, spent two weeks on the injured list for elbow inflammation before returning on Sept. 7.
The right-handed reliever went back to the IL on Thursday, only 11 days after being activated. Garrett had warmed up in the bullpen during Wednesday’s game before shutting things down.
Garrett, 32, is 3-6 with three saves, a 3.90 ERA and 64 strikeouts in 55.1 innings. His absence leaves a void in the Mets’ bullpen, as Garrett holds right-handed batters to a .211 average and regularly records more than three outs in his appearances.
SUNDAY’S STARTER
Sean Manaea is set to be activated from the paternity list in time to start Sunday afternoon’s series finale against the Washington Nationals.
Clay Holmes will be available out of the bullpen that day, Mendoza said, as the Mets continue to deploy the piggyback strategy that worked well in Tuesday’s 8-3 win over the San Diego Padres.
It will be Manaea’s first start since Sept. 9, though he pitched in relief of Holmes on Tuesday and threw five innings of one-run ball.
The Mets opted to use the left-handed Manaea as the starter on Sunday because the Nationals feature a lefty-heavy lineup.
There is no guarantee the Mets will use the right-handed Holmes behind him, as the Mets could stick with Manaea for a full start if he’s performing well.
“There’s a lot that goes [into it] before we have to make those decisions in-game, but he’s gonna go, and then we’ll see how we deploy Clay,” Mendoza said.
Manaea and Holmes have not provided much length in their starts of late, so using them back-to-back allows the Mets to get through the game without taxing their bullpen.
The 33-year-old Manaea is 2-3 with a 5.40 ERA in 55 innings this season, but he’s allowed only one run in his last eight innings.
SENGA’S NEXT STEP
Kodai Senga is set to throw a live bullpen session in the coming week as the Mets determine how — or if — he fits into their plans for the rest of the season.
Senga was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse this month as he tries to work through his extended struggles.
The right-hander made two starts at Triple-A, hurling six innings of one-run ball in the first one before surrendering four runs in 3.2 innings on Thursday.
Sunday is the final day of the Triple-A season, meaning Senga will not make another start there.
Senga is 7-6 with a 3.02 ERA in the majors this season, but he went 0-3 with a 5.90 ERA and 24 walks in 39.2 innings over nine starts after returning in mid-July from a hamstring strain.
On Thursday, Mendoza acknowledged Senga was not a lock to be included on the Mets’ postseason roster.
LOVELADY RETURNS
The Mets recalled reliever Richard Lovelady from Triple-A before Saturday’s game, giving them another left-hander in the bullpen.
Four of the top five hitters in the Nationals’ lineup on Saturday bat left-handed, while the Mets’ next opponent, the Chicago Cubs, employ tough lefty hitters in Pete Crow-Armstrong and Michael Busch.
This is Lovelady’s third time being called up to the Mets this year. The veteran, 30, allowed six runs in 6.2 innings over his first two stints.
To make room on the roster, the Mets designated right-handed reliever Wander Suero for assignment. Suero had been called up on Thursday but did not appear in a game.
TAYLOR TRACKING
Tyrone Taylor is set to play again at Triple-A on Sunday as he attempts to return from the left hamstring strain that landed him on the IL on Sept. 2.
Taylor began a rehab assignment on Friday and went 1-for-4 with an RBI. He also played six innings in center field.
“He feels good physically, so now it’s just getting him to be able to play nine innings, back-to-back, and things like that,” Mendoza said.
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