Warren reported feeling forearm discomfort, and he was prepared for the worst, according to Puma. He returned last week, though, against the San Diego Padres.
“I didn’t like falling behind and being in a full count with every batter,” Warren said. “But I will take the results. I am excited to be back with the guys and competing again.”
Warren was shut down immediately for almsot a week, and after that he started a gradual throwing progression, per Puma, that eventually brought him back to Citi Field.
“I probably should have said something earlier,” Warren said of the discomfort in his last few outings before his shutdown. “That’s just a boneheaded mistake on my side.
“But I am glad the results came back the way they did and it wasn’t worse. It could have been worse if I kept pitching through it.”
Warren then had what might be the baseball version of a Rip Van Winkle experience, as he returned to find a pen populated by completely new pitchers.
“It was definitely different walking out to the pen the first night,” Warren said. “But I feel like everyone is stepping up and doing their job. That is all we can ask for right now.”
The Mets can’t ask more from the new relievers so far, even though Kodai Senga stumbled badly yesterday and gave up a game-winning home run in the ninth inning to Tristan Peters of the Chicago White Sox.
Jefry Yan has also had some intriguing moments, both good and bad, in his flamboyant introduction to the Mets staff, but Warren has been a pitcher who’s provided both steadiness and stability.
Those are qualities the Mets very much need in what’s been an erratic and disappointing season, and they’ll undoubtedly lean more on Warren down the stretch.
His future remains uncertain as he pitches through his age-30 season, but Warren is someone the Mets should consider keeping around if he wants to come back. He’s one of several pitchers the Mets took a flyer on earlier this year, but Warren is putting himself in a very good position to become a bullpen staple going forward.
