Bobby Parnell got hit hard in his second rehab outing for Single-A St. Lucie on Thursday (read about it here).
Aside from the results, Parnell’s velocity is still not where it needs to be, reports Adam Rubin of ESPN New York.
A scout in attendance during Parnell’s outing last night said his fastball was in the upper 80s to low 90s.
Before Parnell underwent Tommy John Surgery last April, Parnell’s average fastball velocity was 95.6 mph over the course of his career, according to FanGraphs.
Parnell hoped to be activated by mid-April, but it was always more likely he would return in May, or about 13 months after undergoing the procedure. It still remains unclear when Parnell will return, but it probably hinges on his ability to continue to build arm strength and velocity, plus pitch on back-to-back days.
It’s also unclear what Parnell’s role will be upon returning. Terry Collins has said if Familia is pitching well as the closer, he will remain the closer. That could leave Parnell and Vic Black vying for the seventh and eighth inning roles from the right side of the bullpen.
Just Mets 