Since returning from Tommy John surgery, Bobby Parnell has been excellent. He’s allowed only one run and seven hits during ten innings.
“It was way more difficult than I thought it would be,” Parnell told SNY.TV’s Robert Brender about his year-long recovery from surgery. “The physical side was pretty much laid out, it’s easy to comprehend. But, it’s a mental grind for sure.”
Parnell says he would prefer to close, but he understands why the Mets didn’t want to take Jeurys Familia out of the 9th inning. Familia has been dominant with a 1.25 ERA and 27 saves in 43.1 innings pitched.
Parnell also thinks that it’s a good idea to work in lower leverage situations initially as he continues to work his way back to full strength.
It’s great to see Parnell recover successfully and pitch effectively on the mound. While his fastball isn’t as explosive as it once was, he’s developed himself into a much smarter and intelligent pitcher.
With Parnell, Familia and Jenrry Mejia, who’s returned from suspension, the Mets bullpen could be one of the strongest in the league during the second half.
