4 years agoThe New York Mets announced on Saturday that relief pitcher Seth Lugo is scheduled to have elbow surgery to remove a bone spur on Tuesday. The Mets indicated that following surgery, Lugo won't throw for at least six weeks. Obviously, this is horrible news with spring training set to begin within a week. Heading into 2021, Lugo is projected to primarily work out of the bullpen where he has become one of the elite set-up men in baseball. In 2020, as both a starting pitcher and reliever, Lugo posted a somewhat mediocre 5.15 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, and 47 strikeouts in 36 2/3 IP. However, Lugo's ERA as a reliever over 10 1/3 IP in 2020 was 2.61 and he posted a 0.97 WHIP. Once he returns from surgery, Lugo should take over eighth-inning duties for the Mets. He will be in line to put up elite ratios and strikeouts, to go with a large number of holds and perhaps some saves if Edwin Diaz struggles. That said, it appears this surgery will sideline Lugo for at least a month and a half into the regular season (if there are no setbacks). Trevor May's fantasy value in leagues that reward holds now gets a boost. May will likely be the lone, primary set-up man to Diaz for the early part of the 2021 campaign until Lugo returns to action. Conversely, Lugo's fantasy value now takes a hit with a likely absence stretching into late-May.--Nick Ritrivi - RotoBaller
Source: Jon Heyman on Twitter