Jacob deGrom began the 2021 season putting up historic numbers as the ace of the New York Mets rotation.
But early on, some injuries began to pop up.
Yet deGrom always returned and his ERA on the year did not go above 1.00 until his start on July 7.
Unfortunately, that was the last time he took the mound.
deGrom has been out with inflammation in his elbow and the team was hoping to get him back soon.
That will not be the case.
Bad news on Jacob deGrom. While Luis Rojas says that he is improving, deGrom will be shutdown from throwing for another two weeks. At that point, he will get more imaging.
The earliest deGrom could return now is mid-September, but his season is clearly very much in jeopardy.
— Steve Gelbs (@SteveGelbs) August 13, 2021
Not only is deGrom out, but he won’t even be throwing for two weeks.
That takes him to the beginning of September and if he is feeling better he has to ramp up his throwing once again.
This is terrible news for a Mets team that has been in a slide as of late.
A Competitive Division
The Mets seemed to be coasting atop the National League East for much of the year.
That has all changed recently as the team enters Saturday with a record of 59-56.
Both the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies are slightly ahead of them at 60-56.
So what was once a comfortable Mets lead has turned into a true three-team race.
The upcoming schedule is also ridiculous and may have some fans questioning how this could happen.
The team is currently hosting the Los Angeles Dodgers before heading out west to take on the San Francisco Giants.
Both teams are World Series favorites and among the top teams in all of MLB.
Well, the Mets follow up that Giants series by heading to Los Angeles for four more against the Dodgers.
After that?
A home series against the Giants.
This type of schedule is brutal for any team, let alone one that just got some awful injury news about its ace.
Wasting History
It is truly a shame to see deGrom sidelined after his amazing start to the year.
His 1.08 ERA in 15 starts is unheard of and he was already at 146 strikeouts on the year.
This is someone who has been relatively healthy in the past, only to go down during the year when the team finally had hope again.
But now the focus turns toward his long-term health.
He did just turn 33 years old in June, so the wear and tear is a concern.
deGrom has gone over 200 innings in a single season three times and at some point that will catch up to a pitcher.
He knows his body better than anyone else and if rest is what he needs, the Mets cannot rush him back.
This 2021 Mets squad doesn’t look like the team of destiny many thought it would be.
The Mets have wasted Jacob deGrom’s prime and for that they will never be forgiven.
— Sean Fennessey (@SeanFennessey) August 7, 2021
That might mean shutting deGrom down is the best course of action for both sides, turning the focus to 2022.
NEXT: The NY Mets Missing Playoffs Would Be A Disaster