Bryce Montes de Oca Out For 2023 After Undergoing Tommy John Surgery
The Mets will be without right-handed pitcher Bryce Montes de Oca longer than what was originally anticipated.
The team announced Thursday that Montes de Oca underwent a procedure the day prior to remove loose bodies from his elbow. However, it was determined during the procedure that his UCL was "insufficient" and would need revision as well, a.k.a. Tommy John surgery.
When it was determined Montes de Oca would need arthroscopic surgery to remove the bone fragments from his elbow, the timeline for his return was set at four months. We now know it's more substantial than that.
While there is no current timetable for his return, Tommy John recovery will force him to miss all of 2023, and that may even seep into 2024.
Montes de Oca, 26, looked strong to kick off Spring Training, flashing a fastball with exceptional run and high velocity, but when he lost several miles per hour on it during a game earlier this month, it was determined he had a stress reaction in his elbow.
Originally, no ligament damage was detected in his elbow, though that was determined to be untrue during the procedure this week.
The Kansas native was originally selected by the Mets in the ninth round of the 2018 MLB draft, but didn't begin his pro career until 2021 after enduring a slew of injuries.
Montes de Oca finally made it to the majors at the end of 2022, and flashed his potential over a handful of games. He was looking to build off that this year.
The right-hander is on the team's 40-man roster, but could be shifted to the 60-day injured list in order to make room for another player, when that situation arises.
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