Mets manager Carlos Mendoza shared tough news at Citi Field on Friday. Right-hander Dedniel Núñez, who has been on the injured list since August 29 with right forearm tightness, will miss the rest of the season due to a flexor injury.
“I’m disappointed. He’s been crucial for us, and we were hoping to have him back, but that won’t happen,” Mendoza said. “He got a second opinion, which confirmed the flexor injury, and received a PRP injection today.”
Although the Mets are in Philadelphia, the exact nature of the injury is still unclear. Mendoza reassured that Núñez’s ligament is fine, which is promising, and they are hoping the injection will resolve the issue.
However, if the injection doesn’t work, “everything is on the table,” including surgery, Mendoza admitted.
“But for now, we believe this is the best course,” he added. “We’ll proceed with the injection and hope it avoids surgery.”
The team will reassess Núñez in about a month before determining the next steps.
In his rookie season, Núñez has faced several setbacks. After spending nearly a month on the injured list with a right pronator strain, he was activated on August 23 but made just one appearance before returning to the IL.
Núñez, who signed with the Mets as an international prospect at 20—unusually late for a Dominican player—worked his way through the minors since 2017, pitching 268 innings across 110 games (30 starts) with a 4.37 ERA over six-plus seasons. He missed the entire 2021 season after Tommy John surgery.
At 28, Núñez finally made his MLB debut this season and became a reliable reliever for Mendoza in key moments. In 25 games, he posted a 2.31 ERA over 35 innings, striking out 48 batters. His 35.6% strikeout rate ranks fifth among NL relievers with at least 30 innings, trailing only Edwin Díaz, Fernando Cruz, Jeremiah Estrada, and Aroldis Chapman.
“It’s a tough loss,” Mendoza said, “but others will step up.”
