Mets’ Tylor Megill likely out for rest of season after getting shut down again

PHILADELPHIA — The Mets have in all likelihood lost an interesting arm for the rest of the season and they hope not for longer.

Tylor Megill again has been shut down from throwing after a setback in which he felt tightness in his arm while throwing his secondary pitches Sunday.

Nearly three months after his initial injury, Megill was sent to New York for another MRI exam.

The righty had been rehabbing an elbow sprain that arose after a June start in which he also felt discomfort throwing his off-speed pitches, and a subsequent MRI exam at the time found inflammation in the elbow.

Carlos Mendoza did not want to declare Megill done for the year and did not want to speculate about a potential surgery before learning the results, but he acknowledged the recurrence was a concern.

“The fact that he’s getting another MRI and where we’re at,” the Mets manager said before beginning a series at Citizens Bank Park, “feels like we’re running out of time.”

Megill had made six rehab starts with Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Syracuse to varying results: He struck out nine in 3 ¹/₃ one-hit innings Aug. 17 and allowed five runs in two-plus innings while feeling the discomfort Sunday.

The Mets, who have six starting pitchers in their rotation and Kodai Senga hoping to become an option after being optioned, likely were not going to bring back Megill as a starter but as a reliever, and his powerful stuff could have played up in a shorter burst.

Instead, the Mets and Megill will wait for results from the imaging that likely will end a season in which he has pitched to a 3.95 ERA in 14 starts.