Russell Dorsey of Bally Sports reports New York Mets reliever Bryce Montes de Oca will undergo arthroscopic surgery to remove bone fragments from his right elbow. With the expected recovery time from this surgery, Montes de Oca is not expected to be able to return until mid-August.
Montes de Oca joins Calvin Ziegler as Mets pitching prospects who have undergone elbow surgery this spring. Ziegler had surgery to remove painful bone spurs from his pitching elbow.
Montes de Oca, 26, was impressing during the spring despite uneven results. With the recent injury to Edwin Díaz, he was putting himself in the mix to make the Opening Day bullpen.
101 mph with 21 inches of horizontal break from Bryce Montes de Oca to strike out one of the AL’s best players in 2022.
— Michael Mayer (@mikemayer22) March 9, 2023
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In Montes de Oca’s March 13 spring appearance, he had diminished velocity, and he walked three batters. He was removed from the game, and he was initially diagnosed with a forearm strain.
The following day, the Mets had the results of the MRI. The determination was there was a stress reaction, and as a result, Montes de Oca was going to be shut down for 3-4 weeks. As we now know, the injury was more severe, and he will be shut down for longer.
This injury will cost Montes de Oca most of the 2023, and it occurs just as it appeared as if he was going to have an opportunity to establish himself as a major leaguer at some point during the season. Instead, MMN‘s 22nd ranked prospect will have to wait until next year.
Montes de Oca did make his Major League debut last season. In three appearances, he allowed four earned on seven hits over 3 1/3 innings. He also walked two while striking out six. With the movement he has generated on his pitches, he certainly racks up a large number of strikeouts.
With Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Syracuse, Montes de Oca made 44 appearances pitching 51 1/3 innings. He was 3-3 with 11 saves, a 3.33 ERA, 1.422 WHIP, 6.7 BB/9, and a 14.0 K/9.
