Zack Wheeler's return to the major leagues is officially on hold until next year, as the New York Mets have officially shut the rehabbing right-hander down for the rest of 2016 due to a flexor strain suffered two weeks ago, according to Adam Rubin of ESPN.

The next time Wheeler picks up a baseball will be in spring training of 2017, Rubin reports.

It's been a rough go for the 26-year-old, who last threw a pitch at the big-league level in September 2014. Wheeler underwent Tommy John surgery in 2015 and has spent the last two years rehabbing. Although he finally was able to make a rehab start in August at Single-A, the outing lasted just one inning before he was pulled due to discomfort.

Wheeler's flexor strain was diagnosed by Dr. James Andrews two weeks ago, at which point the pitcher received a platelet-rich plasma injection and was shut down for two weeks.

The Mets had previously hoped Wheeler could return to aid their injury-riddled rotation down the stretch. They've already lost Matt Harvey for the season, while Steven Matz is also on the disabled list, and Jacob deGrom is battling his own injury issues.

Wheeler, acquired from the San Francisco Giants in July of 2011 for Carlos Beltran, owns a 3.50 ERA and has struck out 271 batters in 285 1/3 innings pitched for the Mets.