The story line set to showcase Mets’ top pitching prospect, Zack Wheeler, against the player he was traded for, the Cardinals’ Carlos Beltran, will have to be shelved for now. Wheeler strained his oblique muscle on the right side while swinging a bat in the batting cage before the game.
The strain lead to Wheeler’s scratch and the injury is considered “nothing serious”. Wheeler said his oblique was “a little stiff” and nothing more. He is expected to make his next start.
The righty is slated to start the season in AAA for New York, but he is focusing on trying to win a spot in the rotation straight out of spring training, something unlikely to happen since it would start his “clock” early for no reason. The Mets are not expected to contend for the playoffs in 2013, but continue to build for the future. Wheeler can be a big part of that.
“It’s mostly precautionary at this point. He tried to throw and didn’t experience any problem, but he was sore to the touch, so we’re going to back him off,” Alderson said.
Alderson also added its normal for pitchers to hit in the cage before the game so Wheeler was not doing something he shouldn’t have been.
Though the 22-year-old was disappointed he did not get to face Beltran, he understands the situation.
“I’d rather be out one start than two months and be behind the eight-ball when I do come back,” Wheeler said.
Beltran and Wheeler were traded for each other on July 28th, 2011 when Beltran was sent to the San Francisco Giants.
