The New York Mets could be one of the first teams affected on the mound because of the World Baseball Classic, as it was reported that reliever Robert Stock is dealing with shoulder issues, something that could raise concern for the club’s bullpen future.
The report came from SleeperMets on X (@sleepermets): “Mets reliever Robert Stock experienced shoulder discomfort after playing with Team Israel and will undergo testing, per manager Carlos Mendoza. He will no longer be participating in the WBC.”
Stock returned to the Mets after previously pitching two games for the team in 2021. He was out of MLB action in 2022, playing in Korea, and spent 2023 and 2025 between Mexico and Triple-A. Because of that, there was hope that his return to the majors in 2026 could help provide depth for the Mets.
Stock won’t debut with Israel
Unfortunately, with Stock leaving the tournament, he will not appear in his first official game in the World Baseball Classic. The shoulder discomfort that was reported came after he pitched in a friendly game, meaning he will not take the mound in any official WBC contests.
Stock owns a 4.90 career ERA across five seasons in the majors. His best stretch came in 2018 with the San Diego Padres, when he posted a 2.50 ERA in 32 games. Since that season, however, he has not matched that level of performance and has not pitched more than 10 games in an MLB season.
The Mets currently have Stock under a minor league deal, which complicates matters. He had been expected to be available during spring training, but now it’s unclear when he will be able to showcase his arm as he tries to make the team.