Mets told Eagle High grad to delay shoulder surgery — then cut him once he had it
Professional athletes remind fans over and over that sports are a business. Eagle High grad Andrew Ely learned that the hard way last week.
The 25-year-old followed the Mets’ advice to play with a torn labrum this summer, grit through the pain and delay surgery until after the season. His reward: The Mets cut him once he underwent shoulder surgery, Ely wrote on Twitter.
“After recommending to avoid surgery and play the season with a torn labrum, then getting it repaired a day after the season, the Mets have decided to release me,” Ely wrote. “It’s an unfortunate end to an unfortunate season, but I had the pleasure of meeting some great teammates and coaches.
“The game can be unfair, but at no point is it warranted to feel sorry for oneself. Now I have some decisions to make.”
Ely struggled in his fifth season in professional baseball while putting off major shoulder surgery. He hit .162 in 60 games while playing primarily shortstop for the Mets’ Double-A affiliate.
Known as a defensive ace, Ely was selected by the Mets as a Rule 5 Draftee from the Cubs in December. He owns a career .248 batting average and was named a midseason all-star in the Low-A Midwest League in 2016.
NBC Sports’ Bill Baer slammed the Mets for cutting Ely, linking his release to the low wages and unfair labor practices minor league baseball players endure.
“If Ely were acting in his own best interest and not the team’s, he likely would have undergone surgery soon after the diagnosis of a torn labrum. He would’ve missed a sizable chunk of the 2018 season, if not the remainder, but he would have been on target to begin spring training next year.
“The Mets still would have released him in all likelihood, but he would be a more attractive candidate for other teams this offseason. He could participate fully in spring training, then start the 2019 regular season on time, hoping to bounce back from his shoulder woes.
“As it stands now, if he undergoes surgery, he likely gets a late start to spring training and may have to stay in extended spring training rather than begin the regular season with his teammates. That’s if he’s able to get a contract, which is anything but a certainty.”
Ely was one of 24 players with Idaho ties in the major leagues or the affiliated minor leagues at the start of the 2018 season.
Ely led Eagle to a 5A state championship as a senior in 2011 before playing for the University of Washington.
This story was originally published October 1, 2018 at 10:09 PM.