Jacob deGrom, the Mets’ ace pitcher, has been withdrawn from his spring training start against the St. Louis Cardinals due to a setback in his recovery.
The April Fool’s joke is on Mets fans who were hoping to see ace pitcher Jacob deGrom return to form in time for the start of the season.
DeGrom has been dealing with shoulder discomfort in his right shoulder and was anticipated to miss a spring training start against the St. Louis Cardinals on April 1st as of March 31st.
Jacob deGrom has a tight right shoulder, says Buck Showalter. He will likely be scratched from his scheduled start tomorrow and will likely go for tests.
— Deesha (@DeeshaThosar) April 1, 2022
According to manager Buck Showalter, DeGrom would be taken in for an MRI scan on his shoulder if he continued to feel stiffness on the morning of the Cardinals game.
“Let’s see what [Friday] brings,” Showalter said, adding that the Spring Training schedule was structured to allow each starter to miss a game if necessary.
That turned out to be the case on April 1st, when deGrom was taken in for MRI scans and his Opening Day status remained unknown.
Jake deGrom goes for an MRI today on his right shoulder. Opening Day start is undetermined.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) April 1, 2022
The Mets’ pitching staff is in jeopardy due to Jacob deGrom’s shoulder issue
This is a concerning injury development because deGrom and Max Scherzer were supposed to dominate the top of the Mets’ pitching rotation, and deGrom has already been in peak form during spring training games. DeGrom only allowed one run in five innings while striking out ten batters.
After spending last season on the bench due to low-grade ulnar collateral ligament damage, deGrom is just getting back on the mound. The Mets were without their top-tier pitcher after July 7, and they finished 77-85 in the NL East.
Another cascading consequence of the MLB lockout is deGrom’s injury and likely absence from the Opening Day roster.
The Mets had to immediately ramp up their season because they didn’t have a traditional spring training schedule to allow for more rest and rehabilitation. DeGrom’s shoulder pain may be one of the side effects of the lockout. It hasn’t been fully diagnosed.
