Wheeler shut down for rest of season

Zack Wheeler returned to the mound in 2017 after missing two full seasons, but didn’t complete his chief goal: finishing the year healthy.

After sitting on the disabled list for the last month with a stress reaction in his right arm, Wheeler on Thursday was shut down for the remainder of the season by the Mets.

It completed a comeback season for Wheeler in which he went 3-7 with a 5.21 ERA in 17 starts.

“I started out well and it just went downhill,” said Wheeler, who missed 2015 and ’16 recovering from Tommy John surgery. “It’s not how I wanted to finish the season, but I got some good, quality innings in and it was a step in the right direction.”

Wheeler said he was previously told to rest for two months and didn’t see the point in pushing to return this season.

“The situation we are in, why push it and risk actu- ally breaking the bone when next year looks a little more important than right now,” Wheeler said. “Hopefully next year I can be healthy and get back out there and pitch every fifth day.”

Wheeler said the humerus bone in his right arm had weakened from the two years of relative inac- tivity and rest is the only prescription.

“The elbow felt fine, the shoulder felt good and this sorta crept up on me,” Wheeler said. “I am pretty confident going into next season and we’re taking all the right steps to heal this thing up and be ready for next season.”