The New York Mets are the leaders of the NL East division by six games, with a rock-solid 24-14 record.
Imagine where they would be with right-hander Jacob deGrom healthy.
deGrom hasn’t pitched this season as he recovers from a stress reaction in his right scapula.
His recovery process has been slower than previously anticipated, and the Mets aren’t precisely the best at updating his condition and status.
He had a follow-up MRI this week, on Monday, and while it showed “continued healing”, he won’t be returning this month, and probably not in June either.
“#Mets update on deGrom: Jacob deGrom underwent follow-up imaging yesterday that revealed continued healing in the scapula. He will continue to build distance and velocity in his throwing program, and we will provide an update on his progress when appropriate,” David Lennon, who writes for Newsday, tweeted.
At this point, deGrom is going to need what amounts to another spring training type of buildup, even under the best-case scenario (no setbacks).
That likely would push him into July. The All-Star break begins July 18. https://t.co/qEgdoP1DaG
— David Lennon (@DPLennon) May 17, 2022
He Will Likely Be Ready At Some Point In July
He then provided a “guesstimate” of his return: “At this point, deGrom is going to need what amounts to another spring training type of buildup, even under the best-case scenario (no setbacks). That likely would push him into July. The All-Star break begins July 18,” he stated.
If he is ready, say, in early July, the Mets will probably hold him out until after the All-Star break: it seems like the logical scenario.
The Mets’ ace, the best pitcher in baseball when healthy, pitched 92 innings with various injuries in 2021, but he made them count, with a 1.08 ERA.
He is a true difference-maker and the team will definitely make sure he is 100 percent before bringing him back.
They absolutely need him for a hypothetical playoff run.
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