“What a Shame” — Mets Fans Go Berserk as 29-Year-Old Pitcher’s Season Ends in Brutal Blow

The New York Mets could never have braced for a setback at this stretch. With the team in the thick of wild-card contention, losing a reliable arm right now puts them in a tough spot. The Mets didn’t anticipate the extent of the injury to be season-ending when Dedniel Núñez first felt discomfort in his elbow while throwing a fastball on Wednesday against the Brewers. However, on Saturday, it came to light that he would undergo his second Tommy John surgery.

Nunez is scheduled for surgery during the All-Star break for the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. This leaves the right-hander on the sidelines for the remainder of the season.

Núñez had his first Tommy John surgery as a minor leaguer back in 2021, which makes his second procedure even more concerning.

“He gave it a try. This is something that he dealt with last year, missed the rest of the season, we had the whole offseason, and he worked extremely hard, put himself in a position where he came in healthy in spring training, and then went to Triple-A, and we started to see that version of Núñez,” the Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said at Kauffman Stadium on Saturday.

After six years in the Mets system, starting when he was 21, Núñez finally reached the big leagues last year after recording a stunning 1.29 ERA across 14 innings in the minors. However, his season was cut short after he was diagnosed with a pronator strain in his right forearm. This season in majors, Núñez was able to throw only 9⅔ ⅔ innings before the injury sidelined him again.

All this while, he was gaining momentum and becoming a crucial piece of the Mets’ bullpen. While it’ll be tough for the Mets to shake off this setback, it’s just as shocking for the fans, too.

Mets’ nation pours mixed reactions on Núñez’s injury

Just as the news of Dedniel Núñez’s second Tommy John surgery surfaced, the Metsies took over the internet. From frustration to sympathy, they didn’t hold anything back. “What a shame. Such a big cog last year,” wrote a fan. In 2024, before July, Núñez recorded a stellar 2.31 ERA with 12.3 strikeouts per nine innings. He was arguably one of the best relievers last year. But he was bitten by an injury bug that put him on the sidelines.

Another fan, just as blown away, stated, “Is this his second? He just came back from it, right?” Well, that’s true. Núñez’s first Tommy John procedure cost him the entire 2021 season.

Some shared their own theories behind his setback: “We knew this was coming. This was the worry last season. Probably why he struggled this year. Not easy pitching through pain/injury.” Nunez started off well in the 2024 season. However, in late July, he was placed on the IL with a pronator strain. He did come back sometime later in August, but then again, he was down with right forearm tightness.

Another fan noted, “That is terrible for the team and him. He was on the cusp of establishing himself, and then back to back injuries, and we won’t see him until 2027.” The Mets clearly cannot afford another player with a season-ending injury. Nunez was regaining his form, and now the idea of not seeing him back on the field for the rest of the season is scary.

Some blamed the franchise as a whole: “Omg. We can’t keep a fucking pitcher healthy. There’s only so much Stearns is going to be able to do at the deadline.” With Núñez being absent for the entire season, the team will have to find a way to navigate through this. Probably, David Stearns, president of baseball operations, will have to target some relievers at the trade deadline. For the record, it’s right around the corner, and he will have to decide soon.

Let’s wait and watch how it unfolds, but for now, the Metsies are gutted and understandably so.