While Albert Pujols sits with back pain, another prominent National League starter is also out indefinitely with thyroid complications.
The Mets’ Jose Reyes is under doctor’s orders to cease baseball activities until a treatment plan is devised for his overactive thyroid. Despite feeling generally healthy, blood tests from Reyes last week sparked concern about his thyroid levels. He was flown to New York City to be further examined, and the diagnosis was made on Tuesday afternoon.
The Mets are counting on their star shortstop to help turn around their losing season in 2009, when Reyes missed significant time with leg injuries. He was one of baseball’s most exciting players in 2008, hitting .297 with 56 stolen bases. But for now, he is resigned to rest as his doctors come up with a treatment plan.
"This is not what I want to be doing," said Reyes. "I am disappointed. ... I have to be concerned about it and find out what's going on. We're talking about my health, so I have to be concerned about it.”
Thankfully for Reyes, hypothyroidism should not drastically affect his career. The condition is usally treatable with basic medication, leaving Reyes to rejoin his team sometime before Opening Day.
