I don’t enjoy sharing bad news, especially on Opening Day. But sometimes, the news cycle requires it. That’s the case with Mets reliever, Bryce Montes de Oca.
The 26-year-old initially had his spring training cut short two weeks ago with a stress reaction in his elbow. Then, it was reported that he’d undergo arthroscopic surgery to remove bone chips in his elbow this week.
As it turns out, the surgery he had was a much more serious one:
Sources: Mets right-handed pitcher Bryce Montes de Oca had Tommy John surgery.
This is the second TJS for the 26-year-old that also had it back in 2013 when he was in High School.
— Michael Mayer (@mikemayer22) March 30, 2023
An incredibly tough break for him, especially since this is the second time he’s had the procedure in 10 years. This also gives off vibes from the old Mets regime. You know, where someone would go down with a strained hamstring and somehow miss the entire year.
But this isn’t the old Mets, of course. Let’s hope de Oca knew this was a possibility heading into the procedure. Thinking you’re getting bone chips out and waking up realizing you had Tommy John surgery again has to be the biggest buzzkill in history. Mike Puma of the New York Post reported that the decision to repair the hurler’s UCL was made during the operation.
We’ll just tell ourselves he knew it could happen. It’s still demoralizing from a personal standpoint, but at least he’d be aware of the range of possibilities.
The right-hander made his big-league debut in 2022, tossing 3.1 innings for New York. He only tossed 2.1 innings in Grapefruit League action but showcased how disgusting his stuff could be:
An insane 101 MPH pitch from Bryce Montes de Oca to strike out Andrés Giménez ? pic.twitter.com/nkAUKyidQZ
— SNY (@SNYtv) March 9, 2023
Until next year, my sweet prince. Get well soon.
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You can reach Matt Musico at matt.musico@xlmedia.com. You can follow him on Twitter: @mmusico8.
