PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (WFAN) -- The Mets might start the season without left-hander Jason Vargas, who will undergo surgery Tuesday to remove the broken hamate bone in his right hand, the team said.
Vargas suffered the injury Friday when he was struck by a line drive during a minor league spring game. The Mets said he should resume throwing approximately five days after the surgery. While Vargas might not miss a significant amount of time, his status for the early days of the regular days is uncertain.
Vargas threw a bullpen session Monday morning before flying to New York for the surgery. He said he opted to undergo the procedure because "it gives me the best opportunity to have a normal hand in a six-week period." He added that it will also allow him to bat and catch the ball.
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The Mets open the season at home March 29 vs. St. Louis but won't need to use a fifth starter until April 4, their sixth game of the year.
The Mets signed Vargas to a two-year, $16 million contract last month. Pitching last season for the Kansas City Royals, Vargas went 18-11 with a 4.16 ERA in 32 starts. The 18 victories were a career high, and he was selected to his first All-Star Game.
