Neil Walker told reporters that after seriously deliberating his situation and considering the advice of several doctors, he made the difficult decision to end his season and have surgery to repair the herniated disc in his back which also caused numbing in one of his toes.
The surgery typically has a three-month recovery, and Walker said he wrestled with the decision because he wanted “nothing more than to be on the field.”
“The more I tried to push through it, the more I realized I was hurting the team and myself,” Walker said.
Mets doctors advised him that he could continue playing through it but other doctors warned against it, telling him he could worsen the condition and possibly jeopardize his career.
“After two or three eyes on the MRI, some of the best back specialists in the world, they’ve told me that the best course of action is to get it done now.”
We wish Neil a speedy recovery.
Previous Report – Aug 31
Mets second baseman Neil Walker met with doctors for a second opinion today and according to Terry Collins, he will opt for season ending back surgery to repair a herniated disk in his back.
Walker will address the media on Thursday, but essentially his season is over.
Earlier today, general manager Sandy Alderson explained that he has a herniated disk that is causing limited weakness in his foot — similar to in 2012 with the Pirates. But also added that team doctors believed he could play through it.
Huge blow! Wilmer Flores just became the most important infielder on the Mets tonight. And you could also kiss that qualifying offer to Neil Walker and the draft pick goodbye.
– – Joe D.
Original Report – Aug 30
Manager Terry Collins told reporters at Citi Field on Tuesday that second baseman Neil Walker will need to rest his back every few games whenever he eventually returns to the lineup. He is out of the starting lineup for a third consecutive game tonight.
Without providing any specifics, Collins cautioned that it’s possible Walker could be spending significant time on the bench for the remainder of the season. “There’s a lot of concern about it,” Collins said.
“It’s going to certainly be something that he’s going to have to manage as he continues to play. If he gets back in the lineup, is he going to be an everyday guy? Yeah, but with days of rest mixed in. I think we’ll know more tomorrow how he’s going to handle it. But will he play five, six days in a row? No.” (MLB.com)
Walker has been dealing with a chronic lower-back issue that goes back to last August when he was with the Pittsburgh Pirated, and has caused him to miss a few chunks of time over the past two seasons.
When Collins was asked if he was worried about losing Walker for the rest of the season, he responded:
“Not just yet,” Collins said. “There’s always a possibility. He’s had tests. He’s seen a doctor. It’s just another day of rest. …So we’ll see how he’s feeling tomorrow.”
Both Wilmer Flores and Kelly Johnson have logged some time at second base and Collins will continue to rely on them when Walker is out of the lineup. Utility infielder T.J. Rivera will also see some time once rosters expand on Thursday.
Walker, 30, has been one of the team’s most productive players, batting .408 with seven home runs and 14 RBI since July 31. He has 23 homeruns and an .823 OPS in his first season with the Mets. He is a free agent at the end of the 2016 season.
