BOCA RATON, Fla. -- Curtis Granderson (left thumb) and Michael Cuddyer (abdominal muscle) underwent surgeries last week, but the player who seemed most likely to undergo a procedure did not.
New York Mets assistant general manager John Ricco said Monday at the GM meetings that doctors again have concluded that Juan Lagares does not require surgery for a ligament issue in his right elbow. Manager Terry Collins suggested during the season that Tommy John surgery night be required for the center fielder.
“He was checked out again,” Ricco said. “Once again, there hasn’t really been a change in a long time in it. So the recommendation is not to have surgery.”
Lagares’ throwing clearly was compromised during the 2015 season. To address that, the Mets may have Lagares more active in a throwing program during next year’s spring training. This past year, the Mets had Lagares back off throwing because they did not want him to waste bullets and worsen the injury.
“I know Terry has said throughout the year that maybe we needed to be a little more aggressive with him in spring training in terms of a throwing program, as opposed to this year when we kind of backed off him and didn’t have him throw as much,” Ricco said. “We’re going to talk to the doctors and the trainers and figure out: Is there a different approach maybe for next year in terms of building up his arm strength heading into the season?”
Meanwhile, asked about whether Lagares lost a step tracking down balls compared with 2014, Ricco added: “Whether that’s the case or not is somewhat subjective as to whether he was moving the same way. There’s nothing, though, from a health standpoint."
