Inside an IL Stint
Mets reliever Trevor May chimes in on the multi-faceted dynamic of being stuck on the sidelines
Image credit: Roberto Carlo
Injuries occur in baseball. Strike that. Pitching injuries occur in baseball.
Repetitive, unnatural motions at maximum exertion will push a player’s physical health to the brink. Whether the timespan in question is 30 starts, 60 relief appearances, or the entirety of a hurler’s career, something’s eventually going to break down. Inevitable is a bold declaration but, in this case, largely accurate.
As if it were scripted, the Mets’ roster length—specifically, its pitching depth—has been tested early and often in 2022. Jacob deGrom (stress reaction, right scapula), Max Scherzer (left oblique strain), Tylor Megill (right biceps tendinitis then a right shoulder strain), and Trevor May (right humeral stress reaction), all on the shelf. Fan consensus was bordering on despondent as the injuries piled up.
But in the form of a juke-move that was likely far off the radars of those orange-and-blue fanatics, what could have been a season-withering string of injuries didn’t have much of an effect on the Mets’ momentum. Can’t ask for much more, right?
The Mets being able to hold things together has been a solid indicator of their overall depth, talent quotient, and resilience in the face of a ton of adversity. Despite some sporadic dark clouds and rough seas, the boat is afloat and moving on a crisp plane. Next stop, Summer of Flushing.
Though, if you’re not in that clubhouse, especially when the wins keep rolling in, it’s easy to forget about the guys who aren’t there. And when the team is succeeding as such, it’s just as easy to dismiss what those guys are going through in their efforts to get back and contribute.
Speaking with The Apple, right-hander Trevor May—on the 60-day IL, eligible to return on July 3 and set to begin bullpen sessions this week—shed some light on his current progress, as well as the physical and mental challenges of traversing an injured list stint from a player’s perspective.
“Rehab is going as well as it could be at this point. No signs of lingering pain or discomfort at all,” he said (May resumed throwing this past week, per Twitter). “Everything I did was to build strength and correct some little stuff while the arm healed, and I’m really happy with the progress in those areas.”
Whether it’s bridging the gap to Edwin Díaz or simply picking up big outs when needed, a healthy Trevor May is an important piece in the Mets’ puzzle.
From 2019 through his placement on the IL this season, only four of his sliders have reached paydirt beyond the outfield walls. Last season, May held opposing hitters to .217 and .164 batting averages against his four-seam and slider, respectively. Overpowering stuff plus location equals effectiveness.
So when injuries do arise—whether it’s May, deGrom, Scherzer, Megill, etc—the blueprint is to get healthy and back to contributing at a high level as soon as possible. But healing and rehabilitation are only a part of the battle.
As most of us can attest to, conquering our minds during times of duress can be incredibly challenging. Keeping an even keel isn’t always easy, especially when the stakes are raised.
Now imagine you’re a professional athlete with responsibilities to your team (a World Series contender, in the Mets’ case) and individual goals to accomplish in an ultra-competitive, extremely lucrative, blink-of-an-eye shelf-life industry. The pressure to get back and the inability to speed these things up—to an outsider—seems like a potentially huge source of consternation.
“In terms of frustration, that is always there a bit,” May said. “But it doesn’t remotely compare to the frustration of pitching while hurt. This is a process I’ve gone through before, and crushing each day [of my rehab] individually has proven to be a tried and true strategy for handling [the mental aspect] of being hurt.”
“I want to add value and be part of the group. I want to contribute,” he continued. “But the team getting the job done without you allows you to fully focus on getting healthy and not rush things. That is always good.”
The Mets’ relief corps has certainly picked up the slack in May’s absence. Since the Mets’ setup man hit the IL on May 3, the bullpen has posted a 3.61 ERA, good for ninth in the majors over that span.
Díaz has been otherworldly (2.20 ERA, 16.95 K/9). Adam Ottavino has found an encouraging level of consistency after struggling a bit early on (2.60 ERA, 11.39 K/9). Seth Lugo is back to snapping off 3,200+ RPM curveballs (100th percentile, per Statcast). Drew Smith has emerged as a dependable option and then some (1.99 ERA, 10.23 K/9). Yea, that’ll play.
“They’re pros,” May said. “There will be tough stretches, sure, and it’s going to be challenging. But they’ve shown so much resiliency and I don’t see that letting up.”
Weathering the storm has been the name of the game. It should be quite the sight once the staff is at full capacity once again.
Never any paywalls. Once it leaves my head, it’s yours. Of course, if you want to help keep the lights on, it’s greatly appreciated.
Become a paid subscriber below, or if you enjoyed the story, drop a buck or two in our Venmo account (@TheAppleNYM)