Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Mets pitcher Tylor Megill will throw his first bullpen session next Saturday, Anthony DiComo of MLB and others reported Saturday.
Megill hasn’t pitched since June 16, when he made just his second appearance since coming off the injured list. Before that, he had given up eight runs in a 1 1/3-inning outing before missing nearly a month.
He has a 5.01 ERA with the Mets this year, though that number is buoyed by a couple particularly rough outings and potentially pitching through injury. He was part of the Mets’ second no-hitter in franchise history, where he threw the first five innings. He has an impressive 10.2 K/9 and 2.4 BB/9. Last year, he put up a 4.52 ERA for the Mets in 18 starts.
Megill is looking at around late August or early September for his return, DiComo reported. As was revealed previously, he will return as a reliever, despite all 27 of his major league appearances coming as starts. DiComo noted that Mets officials have told Megill he’ll be stretched back out as a starter in the winter.
It’s yet to be seen how Megill will perform in the bullpen, but he could fare well considering his high velocity and strong peripherals. The Mets could certainly use another strong bullpen arm after their biggest relief acquisition at the trade deadline was Mychal Givens. With Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer both healthy, the demand for a rotation arm wasn’t as high anyway.
Next Saturday will be an important progress point for Megill to kickstart the return from his second IL stint this season.
In other injury news from before Saturday’s doubleheader, reliever Tommy Hunter was placed on the IL with low back tightness.
