Robert Stock’s season ended on Wednesday when the Mets put him on the injured list after finger numbness forced him out of his scheduled start. Xzavion Curry was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse and took Stock’s place against the Orioles, turning one medical setback into a roster move that reached all the way to Citi Field.
The reason for the Mets injury was not a simple ache or a precautionary day off. An MRI showed poor circulation in Stock’s hand, and he began treatment with medication. Stock, who had surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome earlier this season, said his arm looked great once the other imaging was done, aside from the circulation problem that left him unable to keep pitching.
That contrast matters because Stock was not speaking like a pitcher resigned to the end of the road. He said he had proven his name belonged in consideration as a major league pitcher, and he described his dream as being an established major league starter and pitching for the next two decades in Major League Baseball. He also said there were still a million things he wanted to do better, a reminder that the injury interrupted a pitcher who still believed his best years were ahead.
The numbers back up why the setback stings. Stock finished the season with a 5.93 ERA in eight appearances, including seven starts, but the larger issue is that his year ended before the Mets could get any more use out of him. Daniel Duarte was also placed on the injured list Wednesday with a left hamstring strain, while Jefry Yan was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse, underscoring how quickly one club can move from managing a lineup to managing its health report.
For the Mets, Wednesday was not just another roster shuffle. It was a day when one starter’s numbness, one reliever’s hamstring strain and two recalls all landed at once. For Stock, the unanswered question is not whether he wants another turn. It is how long poor circulation and treatment with medication will keep a pitcher who says he can still throw fast from getting back on a mound.
