For weeks, the baseball universe wondered which New York Mets star would come back first from injury: Max Scherzer or Jacob deGrom.
Both had July timeframes, but Scherzer, who has recovered in record time from an internal oblique strain, is set to beat his rotation mate and fellow ace to Queens.
“Sunday at Miami is a possible target for Max return. Would be ahead of original estimate. @MarkWSanchez,” MLB insider Jon Heyman tweeted on Monday.
Sunday at Miami is a possible target for Max return. Would be ahead of original estimate. @MarkWSanchez https://t.co/Aavyi5zams
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) June 20, 2022
Mark Sanchez of the New York Post had discussed the possibility of Scherzer returning next week.
However, there is, according to Heyman, a path for the star righty to make his long-awaited return to the Mets rotation over the weekend.
Scherzer Will Make A Rehab Start Tomorrow
Scherzer, on the shelf since May 21, will make a minor league rehab start on Tuesday for Double-A Binghamton.
He will be close to five weeks removed from his injury-list placement, and he was initially given a six-to-eight-week timeframe.
He faced hitters last Thursday in a three-inning simulated game, so the rehab start in Double-A would be the next step on his road back.
On the other hand, deGrom remains in play for July, although it isn’t yet clear whether the Mets will hold him until after the All-Star break.
He has been out since spring training with a stress reaction on his right scapula, and the Mets are understandably taking things slow with him.
The team needs its aces more than ever, as the Atlanta Braves have closed the gap that once existed between them and are now just 5.5 games behind in the NL East standings.
Once both pitchers are back and fully stretched out, however, it will be tough for the Braves to gain any ground, so the time for them to surpass the Mets is probably now.
NEXT: Max Scherzer Comments On His Return Status