Mets place Jeff McNeil on injured list with elbow injury

The Mets have placed Jeff McNeil on the injured list with a torn UCL in his left elbow, a move that puts an end to the utility man’s 2023 season. McNeil is said to be looking to avoid surgery on the elbow.

After struggling mightily early in the year, McNeil finishes the season with a .270/.333/.378 line, 10 home runs, 10 stolen bases, and a 100 wRC+ in 648 plate appearances. Last year, of course, McNeil was one of the best hitters in baseball when it came to batting average, as he won the batting title in the National League while hitting .326/.382/.454 with a 141 wRC+.

That excellent season made McNeil’s 2021 season, during which he had just a 91 wRC+, look like a fluke. But between the struggles in 2021 and for most of this season, McNeil now has just a 112 wRC+ since the start of the 2021 season.

Given his track record, there’s still a solid chance that McNeil bounces back again starting next year, his age-32 season that will be the second of the four-year contract he signed with the Mets ahead of this season.