The New York Mets’ biggest trade chip might be back right in the knick of time.
Veteran right-hander Zack Wheeler threw a bullpen session on Sunday before the Mets’ 3-2 loss without issue after being placed on the 10-day IL for shoulder fatigue on Jul. 13.
According to the New York Daily News’ Deesha Thosar, the Mets are considering slotting the 29-year-old into the upcoming rotation in their series beginning Tuesday against the San Diego Padres. Jason Vargas is the only confirmed starter for the series so far as he’ll take the mound on Tuesday.
Mets manager Mickey Callaway told Thosar that Wheeler might need to throw a simulated game before getting back to the hill, however. That would mean Wheeler realistically wouldn’t be able to get back until the following series against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The more starts Wheeler gets before the trade deadline, the better chances the Mets will have of dealing him.
He had been a mainstay on the trade market for most of the season as the soon-to-be-free-agent garnered interest from the likes of the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees before his injury.
The Red Sox are no longer on the market for a starting pitcher after acquiring Andrew Cashner from the Baltimore Orioles.
With the trade deadline coming on Jul. 31, the Mets could squeeze two starts out of him.
There was an initial belief that Wheeler would be pulled from trade talks as health concerns once again popped up. He missed two full seasons after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2014 and has only made 20 starts in a season once since then.
Yet he is being looked at as a bargain arm to add depth to a contender’s rotation.
While he has struggled this season with a 6-6 record and 4.69 ERA, a change of culture could help him regain his second-half from last year in which he went 10-1 with a 2.06 ERA in his final 15 starts.
The severity of the Yankees’ interest is unknown after Wheeler’s injury, but SNY’s Andy Martino noted before the All-Star break that the team had Wheeler “on their shortlist.”
Given Wheeler’s impending free agency, the Mets’ return for the righty won’t be overwhelming. However, general manager Brodie Van Wagenen has to play hardball to ensure that the Mets get an acceptable return as their season is on the verge of ending early.
