Mets place reliever Trevor May on IL; recall righty Bryce Montes de Oca

The Mets will begin their final push toward a division crown without one of their most important relievers.

Trevor May was placed on the injured list prior to Saturday’s game against the Nationals. No reason was given for the move, and no specifics were given on the injury.

In his stead, the Mets called up Bryce Montes de Oca from Triple-A Syracuse. A 26-year-old, right-handed reliever, Montes de Oca has flashed incredible strikeout numbers throughout his minor league season. He began the year at Double-A and struck out 31.2% of the hitters he faced in 17.1 innings pitched. That earned him a promotion in June, and in 30 innings with Syracuse, he fanned 35.3% of opposing hitters while holding them to a .193 batting average.

Standing 6-7 with an above average slider and fastball, Montes de Oca will now have a chance to see how his stuff plays against major league hitters. With the Mets in the midst of an easy schedule — after they’re done with the Nationals they’ll see the Pirates, Marlins and Cubs — calling up Montes de Oca now allows him to avoid any seriously fearsome competition.

He converted 11 of his 14 save opportunities this year across the two minor league levels.

For May, the placement on the injured list comes at a tough time. He has a 3.86 ERA in ten appearances since coming back from a three-month injury-related absence in early August. May was sidelined with a stress reaction in his right arm, and had been ramping up nicely since returning. While home runs and walks have bitten him a few times, May has also struck out 14 of the 39 (35.8%) hitters he’s faced in the post-injury portion of his season.