Bobby Parnell completed his rehab assignment on Tuersday night, throwing a scoreless seventh inning for the Binghamton Mets on against the Bowie Bay Sox with a walk and two strikeouts.
Parnell will join the Mets at Citi Field tomorrow night, and be activated in a few days.
Parnell has struggled with both velocity and command during his rehab assignment with Single-A St. Lucie and Double-A Binghamton. He allowed 18 runs and 22 hits with 14 walks in 14 innings between the two affiliates over the last month, and had been shutdown for a period of time with forearm soreness.
Terry Collins recently said he hopes the adrenaline of a big league game will amp Parnell up and improve his velocity and command. It’s a risk, especially since the bullpen has pitched so well in both his and Vic Black’s absence. It will be interesting to see how Parnell’s presence impacts the chemistry, and whether or not the light goes on for him now that the bell is going to ring for him for the first time in over 14 months.;
Presumably, Parnell will be eased into higher leverage situations, and will probably have to earn his way into a prominent role in this bullpen again.
As for who goes down, the logical conclusion to draw is it will be Jack Leathersich. They’re carrying three left-handed relievers, and at the very least Parnell would restore balance to the crowded bullpen on the right side.
Parnell has been on the disabled list all year as he continues to recover from April, 2014 Tommy John Surgery. He has not pitched since Opening Day in 2014.
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