Mets pitcher Robert Stock done for season due to numbness in his fingers

NEW YORK (AP) — Robert Stock’s comeback season ended Wednesday, when the New York Mets right-hander was placed on the 15-day injured list due to numbness in his fingers.

Stock had been scheduled to start the series finale Wednesday night against Pete Alonso and the Baltimore Orioles. Instead, right-hander Xzavion Curry was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse to make the start at Citi Field.

New York also put right-handed reliever Daniel Duarte on the 15-day IL with a left hamstring strain, ending his season. Left-hander Jefry Yan was recalled from Syracuse.

The 29-year-old Duarte went 2-0 with a 2.12 ERA and two saves in 24 appearances for the last-place Mets this season. He struck out 30 and walked seven in 29 2/3 innings.

Stock said his condition is a byproduct of the thoracic outlet syndrome surgery he underwent in March. He said he would usually begin to experience numbness after throwing about 60 or 70 pitches in a game.

The 36-year-old Stock, who has pitched for eight big league organizations as well as in Korea and for the independent Long Island Ducks, is on medication for the condition but said he didn’t want to risk giving the Mets a short start after their bullpen accounted for 8 2/3 innings over the previous two games.

“It’s not fair to the team for me to go out there and say, hey, is this going to work or not on a day when we really need our starting pitcher to go out there and do his job,” Stock said.

Stock finished 1-3 with a 5.93 ERA in eight games (seven starts) for the Mets this season. The win was his first in the majors since 2019.

He called the experience a “dream come true” and said he hoped to be in the mix for a roster spot next year.

“I’ve proven that my name should be in the conversation for being a major league pitcher,” Stock said. “Obviously, there’s a million things that I want to improve upon and do better that will help me continue on.”

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