PHILADELPHIA — Mets manager Carlos Mendoza shared unfortunate news on Friday at Citi Field.
Right-hander Dedniel Núñez, who has been on the injured list since August 29 due to tightness in his right forearm, will miss the rest of the season because of a “flexor injury.”
“I’m disappointed. He’s been a key player for us, and we were hopeful he would return, but that’s not happening,” said Mets manager Carlos Mendoza. “He got a second opinion, which confirmed the flexor injury, and he received a PRP (platelet-rich plasma) injection today.”
Although the Mets are in Philadelphia and don’t have full clarity on the injury, Mendoza shared some optimism, noting that the ligament is intact, which is good news. The team is hopeful that the injection will be sufficient to treat the injury.
“If the injection doesn’t work, all options are on the table, including surgery,” Mendoza admitted. “But for now, we believe this is the best course of action. We’ll proceed with the injection and hope it prevents the need for surgery.”
The Mets plan to wait about a month before reassessing Núñez’s condition and determining the next steps.
Núñez has had a tough break in his first big league season. After missing nearly a month with a right pronator strain, he was activated on August 23, only to make one appearance before returning to the injured list.
Núñez, who signed with the Mets as an international prospect at the age of 20—considered late for a player from the Dominican Republic—has been in the organization since 2017. Over six-plus seasons, he pitched 268 innings in the minors, posting a 4.37 ERA in 110 games (30 starts). He missed the entire 2021 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
At age 28, Núñez finally made his major league debut this season and quickly became one of Mendoza’s trusted relievers. In 25 games, he allowed nine runs over 35 innings, maintaining a 2.31 ERA and recording 48 strikeouts. His 35.6% strikeout rate ranks fifth among NL relievers (minimum 30 innings), trailing only Edwin Díaz (38.0%), Fernando Cruz (37.5%), Jeremiah Estrada (37.3%), and Aroldis Chapman (36.8%).
“It’s a tough loss,” said Mendoza. “But other guys will have to step up.”
