NEW YORK -- The Mets announced a series of injury updates Thursday, headlined by the return of closer Jeurys Familia, who will be activated before Friday's game in Washington. Whenever Familia makes his first appearance, it'll be his first Major League game since May 10. The right-hander underwent surgery to repair an arterial blood clot on May 12.
Mets manager Terry Collins said that Familia will not immediately step into the closer's role, as the club will opt to keep AJ Ramos in that spot until Familia gets his feet wet.
"He's still on the comeback trail," Collins said. "We'll just get him out there, and if he looks like he's comfortable, we'll make decisions then."
Speaking with reporters the morning after completing the second of his back-to-back outings with Class A Short-Season Brooklyn, Familia touted his health and excitement.
"I feel great. I feel like it's my first day in the big leagues. I'm so excited," Familia said. "Most importantly, my arm feels great."
All along, Familia said the goal was to be back at some point this season. He began throwing about one month after the surgery. While blood cots are obviously scary and dangerous, Familia said it was a relatively simple procedure.
During his final outing before landing on the DL, Familia lost feeling in his right middle finger. That hasn't happened since the surgery. Familia hopes and remains confident that this won't be a recurring issue, as doctors have told him there's nothing to worry about.
Closing games isn't the most important aspect of his return, he said. Staying healthy and transitioning back to the Majors are currently his biggest goals.
"Right now, I'm not trying to worry about closing games," Familia said. "I just want to finish the season strong, help my team and try to have good outings."
Wheeler shut down
As Familia returns, right-hander Zack Wheeler, on the DL with a stress fracture in his right arm, will be shut down for the remainder of the season, the club announced.
Collins said hadn't talked to general manager Sandy Alderson about the decision, but he knew it was a possibility.
"It's the process now of having sat out for so long, to try and get him back on a mound at this particular time of the year, is maybe something we don't want to try to do," Collins said.
After Thursday's 3-2 loss to the D-backs, Wheeler, who finished the year with a 3-7 record and a 5.21 ERA in 86 1/3 innings, said that despite being frustrated with the results, there are positives to take away from it.
"It's not how I wanted to finish the season," he said. "But I got some good, quality innings in, as far as a step in the right direction."
The most difficult aspect in having to shut it down, Wheeler said, is that the stress reaction crept out of nowhere, and that his elbow and shoulder felt fine all year. Tommy John surgery cost Wheeler the 2015 and '16 seasons.
"I'm pretty confident going into next season," Wheeler said. "We're taking all the right steps to heal this thing up."
Wheeler won't throw for two months at the doctors' recommendations, which puts him on track to start throwing right around when he normally would begin to during the offseason.
"Hopefully I can be healthy and pitch every fifth day," he said.
Lugo set for bullpen
Seth Lugo, currently on the DL with a right shoulder impingement, is scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Friday. The Mets hope he comes out of it fine, making him available to start during Sunday's doubleheader against the Nationals.
"If not, we'll come up with somebody else," Collins said.
Rehab news
• Matt Harvey is scheduled to make his next rehab start Saturday for Class A Advanced St. Lucie against the Palm Beach Cardinals.
• Noah Syndergaard, shelved since April with a right lat tear, will continue his throwing program in St. Lucie on Thursday. Syndergaard had been scheduled to throw live batting practice in Queens on Tuesday, but the Mets pushed that back as a precaution. Collins said there is no concrete plan for when the right-hander will next throw live BP.
• Also in St. Lucie, David Wright (neck, back) is scheduled to participate in baseball activities for the second straight day, while infielder T.J. Rivera (elbow) continues to rehab his partially torn right UCL.
• Tyler Pill, who made seven appearances (three starts) for the Mets this season, underwent arthroscopic right elbow debridement surgery on Wednesday.