Mets injury update: Erik Goeddel to start rehab assignment soon

Right-handed reliever Erik Goeddel is on the verge of starting a rehab assignment. He threw a bullpen session in Port St. Lucie and felt healthy, reports ESPN.

Goeddel, 26, suffered a strained elbow and was placed on the disabled list on June 12. Goeddel had been pitching very well before he went on the DL, with a 1.96 ERA in 23 innings this season. He had apparently been pitching through the pain for a significant portion of the season before his disabled list stint, but after his June 11 outing against the San Francisco Giants the discomfort became too much to handle. He was shut down and sent for an MRI, but the results were unclear.

Goeddel's return to the bullpen will be important for the Mets, whose inclination for playing close, low-scoring games makes reliable relievers critical. They're also missing veteran Jerry Blevins to injury, whose recovery timeline seems to be a little bit behind that of Goeddel's.