Jenrry Meija had to leave a spring training game after five innings in March because of pain from... a bunion.
So will Meija's bunion bother him the rest of the season? It likely will if the bunion continues to progress.
At the end of March, Terry Collins said that how long he could last in a game would determine his status as a starter. If the bunion continues to bother him, it would prevent his ability to start.
The Mets were attempting to decide between Mejia and Daisuke Matsuzaka as their fifth and final starter.
Pitching coach Dan Warthen had said, "They're both still fighting for a position on the team. They have both thrown extremely well so it's made it very difficult on all of us. Which is a nice thing to have."
Meija had said that his foot felt "good" and that he did not expect his bunion to be an issue. Something was going to be applied to relieve the pressure from the bunion.
"We've always liked Meija's stuff," Warthen said. "We'd just like to see him get deeper into the game without the high pitch counts and see how everything feels afterwards because he really has 'plus' stuff and if he commands the zone and gets hitters out then he deserves the position as well. A young, good arm."
Meija was obviously able to push through the pain from his bunion, since he made his second start of the season last night. In his first outing against the Reds Meija gave up just one run and struck out eight in six innings.
A bunion is a bone deformity caused by an enlargement of the joint at the base and side of the big toe. Bunions form when the toe moves out of place. The enlargement can cause friction and pressure as they rub against footwear. Over time, the movement of the big toe angles in toward other toes, sometimes overlapping a third toe. The growing enlargement then causes more irritation or inflammation. In some cases, the big toe moves toward the second toe and rotates or twists. Bunions can also lead to other toe deformities, like hammertoes.
Meija will have to monitor the progress of his bunion, wear padding, and an orthotic as well. He may need shoes that are wider in the toe box to compensate for his bunion. We'll monitor him throughout the season, as the pain from the bunion may prove too much for this pitcher.
References: NJ.com and SB Nation
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