SAN DIEGO _ The New York Mets envisioned plenty of games like these, nightly masterpieces crafted by a stable of talented young arms. On Monday night, Jacob deGrom stifled the San Diego Padres, holding them to two runs in eight innings on the way to a 5-3 victory.
But deGrom has been the notable exception for the Mets (46-51), who appear to be sellers as the trade deadline approaches partly because of a pitching staff that can't stay healthy. That reality presented itself Monday afternoon when righthander Zack Wheeler landed on the disabled list for the second time this season.
Manager Terry Collins said Wheeler felt issues in the humerus bone in the upper portion of his arm. The pitcher described his symptoms as soreness and persistent aching in his arm. Wheeler said a CT scan confirmed that the "bone was a little irritated."
"I think it's something that came along from just not pitching for two years and sort of ramping it back up," Wheeler said.
After being sidelined for two full seasons, Wheeler braced for the likelihood of setbacks. But mentally preparing himself for such hurdles hasn't dulled the frustration of his latest flare-up, a stress injury in his right arm.
The Mets will promote righty Chris Flexen from Double-A Binghamton to start in Wheeler's place Thursday against the Padres. Flexen, 23, was a 14th-rounder in the 2012 draft. But he has jumped on the radar with a 1.66 ERA in 48 2/3 innings with Double-A Binghamton. In that span, he has 50 strikeouts with just seven walks.
One rival scout questioned whether Flexen is ready for the jump to the big leagues. But the scout projected that the righty has good enough stuff to be a potential rotation option in the future.
Another talent evaluator noted Flexen's strike-throwing ability, with an arsenal that features a plus fastball that tops out at 95 mph that he also pairs with a low 90s cutter and a slider.
"He's pitching very well," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "He's had some very, very good starts in Binghamton and we're anxious to see him, very anxious."
Righthander Tyler Pill was recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas to take Wheeler's spot on the roster. He will be available out of the bullpen.
Wheeler, 27, has landed on the disabled list twice in his first season back following a two-year absence following Tommy John surgery. This time, he has been diagnosed with a stress injury, defined as a weakening of the bone but without the presence of a fracture. Though his latest injury isn't expected to cause an extended absence, the Mets did not reveal a timetable for his return.
Wheeler is 3-7 with a 5.21 ERA in 17 starts for the Mets, though his performance has tailed off severely after a promising beginning of his season.
Through his first 11 starts, Wheeler had a 3.45 ERA, establishing himself as a steady presence in a rotation that has struggled as a whole. But he had a 9.89 ERA in his last six outings, a stretch that included a stint on the DL from June 21 to July 1 for biceps tendinitis.
Said Wheeler: "Rest is about the only thing that's going to help it as far as I understand."
Wheeler is one of five Mets starters on the disabled list, joining Noah Syndergaard, Matt Harvey, Robert Gsellman and Tommy Milone.
Meanwhile, deGrom continued setting himself apart. The righty was on the way to a shutout until Hunter Renfroe's seventh-inning moonshot and a run-scoring double in the eighth by Carlos Asuaje. Renfroe later homered in the ninth off closer Addison Reed, who survived trouble when Jabari Blash just missed a walk-off three-run homer down the rightfield line.
But Reed, the Mets' most valuable trade chip, retired Blash and Matt Szcur to preserve the win.
Jay Bruce knocked in a pair of runs, Yoenis Cespedes tripled home another, and Wilmer Flores homered. All of it was in support of deGrom, who struck out eight in eight innings on the way to his eighth straight victory. During that run, deGrom has posted a 1.61 ERA.
