New York Mets left-hander Joey Lucchesi needs Tommy John surgery to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow, according to Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News.
An MRI taken on Monday revealed a significant tear, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, and a second opinion confirmed the diagnosis. Surgery is the recommended next step, and he'll undergo the procedure on Thursday.
The typical recovery time after Tommy John surgery is 12-15 months.
The 28-year-old is in his first campaign with the Mets after being acquired from the San Diego Padres during the offseason. He posted a 4.46 ERA, 3.40 FIP, and 1.17 WHIP with 41 strikeouts and 11 walks across 11 appearances (eight starts) this year.
Lucchesi is one of 14 Mets players currently on the injured list. The team is still waiting for Noah Syndergaard to return from his own Tommy John surgery, and it's also missing starting pitchers Carlos Carrasco and Jordan Yamamoto, among others.
The Mets did get one piece of good news Tuesday, as they announced outfielder Michael Conforto is set to return after a month-long absence due to a hamstring strain, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com.
Conforto was scheduled to be activated for Tuesday's game, but the veteran was held out for precautionary reasons after the Mets' Triple-A affiliate - the club he was rehabbing with - postponed a game due to COVID-19.
He's since tested negative for the virus, and will now be activated from the IL on Wednesday, according to DiComo.
