Mets place left-hander Joey Lucchesi on IL due to elbow inflammation

New York Mets starting pitcher Joey Lucchesi is going on the IL due to elbow inflammation.

The New York Mets’ starting rotation suffered another blow on Friday, as left-hander Joey Lucchesi is going on the Injured List due to elbow inflammation.

While Lucchesi is only 1-4 on the year in 11 starts for New York, he had been pitching better of late. He threw 5.1 scoreless innings in Friday night’s road loss to the division rival Washington Nationals. In his last five appearances, Lucchesi had allowed only three earned runs in 22.2 innings. He was able to lower his ERA on the season from a dreadful 9.19 to a respectable 4.46.

New York holds a comfortable five-game lead over the Philadelphia Phillies for first place, though.

New York Mets LHP Joey Lucchesi is going on the IL with elbow inflammation

Given that Carlos Carrasco and Noah Syndergaard have not given the Mets anything this season, as well as ace Jacob deGrom dealing with issues of his own, this is not the time New York needs to have its starting rotation further depleted. New York should be able to sustain this for the time being, but it only takes a week for teams like the Phillies and the Atlanta Braves to get back in this.

At the start of the year, the Mets had the look and feel of a postseason team, given all the roster moves they had made in the offseason. However, they have not completely run away with the NL East just yet. If teams like Atlanta and Philadelphia get it going in July or August, the divisional race could get tighter. Let’s hope the Mets have their health as we embark on the dog days of summer.

For now, the Mets will have to deal with an improved starting pitcher in Lucchesi going on the IL.