Major League Baseball

Report: Mets' Zack Wheeler pitched through torn tendon last season

Published Mar. 19, 2015 9:55 a.m. ET

foxsports

New York Mets right-hander Zack Wheeler likely is one second opinion away from season-ending Tommy John surgery, and it turns out that there is more damage than just a torn ligament in his pitching elbow.

According to a Newsday report, Wheeler pitched with an elbow tendon that was "a little bit torn" last season. Hoping to speed up the healing process, Wheeler had two platelet-rich plasma therapies during the offseason.

A source told Newsday that the decision to pitch through the injury and pain last season was Wheeler's, and that the injury couldn't get significantly worse by doing so.

The recent MRI exam that revealed the torn ulnar collateral ligament, which was intact last season, also revealed a more severe tear in the tendon, Newsday reports.

Wheeler, 24, pitched a career-high 185-1/3 innings last season, going 11-11 with a 3.54 ERA in 32 starts.

In recent days, Mets general manager Sandy Alderson has defended the team's use of Wheeler last season and his increased workload.

Mets ace Matt Harvey is returning from Tommy John surgery this season, but reliever Josh Edgin will miss the 2015 season because of the same procedure.