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As the discomfort grew worse and eventually too much to pitch through, the worst thoughts raced through Reed Garrett's mind.

The Mets reliever was placed on the injured list earlier this week with right elbow inflammation. Garrett underwent an MRI exam, which didn't show any structural damage to his UCL.

Given that pitching elbow injuries so often end up as the worst-case scenario requiring Tommy John surgery, this was about the best news possible.

"That's a huge sigh of relief," Garrett told The Post before the series opener against the Marlins on Thursday night at Citi Field. "Every time we take the mound and you feel any sort of thing in that part of your body, as much as you try to avoid going to the worst-case scenario, that's always in the back of your mind.