Parnell placed on DL, Verrett gets called up
Right-handed reliever was 1-3 with a 5.59 ERA in 23 games
BALTIMORE -- The Mets placed Bobby Parnell on the 15-day disabled list with right shoulder tendonitis and recalled Logan Verrett from Triple-A Las Vegas, the team announced on Tuesday.
Parnell, who is returning from Tommy John surgery, suffered two losses over the weekend as the Mets were swept by Pittsburgh. It's been a tough season overall for the right-hander, who boasts a 1-3 record and 5.59 ERA in 23 games.
New York manager Terry Collins said the Mets approached Parnell about shutting it down for a while, citing a wall that players hit the season after Tommy John. Injury or not, Collins hopes that a message has been sent to his bullpen -- which has posted a 3.07 ERA this season.
"Obviously he has been struggling," Collins said of Parnell. "I think that hopefully that message was sent. I think that's a legitmate, 'Hey look, it's time. It's crunch time.'"
The Mets are hopeful that Verrett can become a consistent sixth or seventh-inning guy, and the righty was successful out of the bullpen previously this season. He pitched for the team from June 18-July 7 and July 25-27 while throwing 12 1/3 innings, giving up just one earned runs and striking out 12 in six appearances.
Verrett was stretched out a bit as a starter after being sent down to Las Vegas the second time, throwing 85 pitches his previous two outings. Collins said that a spot start could be possible for Verrett, but that he will work out of the bullpen for now.
"We have to certainly make sure our bullpen is in as good of shape as we can get it," Collins said. "We're hoping the way Logan threw the first time here that he can resume that. Went out and accumulated some innings, but he did a nice job coming out of the bullpen so we are hoping that void there in the sixth or seventh inning. Otherwise we are going to run [Tyler] Clippard and [Jeurys] Familia into the ground, which we cant do."
The promotion is even sweeter for Verrett as he will be pitching against a team he spent most of Spring Training with. He was selected by Baltimore in the 2014 Rule 5 Draft and became close with various Orioles' players including T.J. McFarland, Ryan Flaherty and Kevin Gausman.
Verrett caught a red eye flight from Las Vegas last night and got into Baltimore early Tuesday morning. He said he had time for a quick nap before coming to the ballpark.
"I have been watching the games every day that I can as long as they don't overlap with ours," Verrett said. "It's been exciting to watch. Especially coming down here to the home stretch and playoff hunt. It's what you always dream of, being in the pennant race in September and October."