ST. LOUIS _ Preaching caution but stressing their low degree of concern, the Mets allowed Jacob deGrom to play catch Saturday, one day after putting him on the injured list with a sore right elbow and two days before he visits with team doctors.
DeGrom said he "felt completely normal" and blamed the soreness he felt Thursday, which caused the Mets to scratch him from his start this weekend against the Cardinals, on his recent strep throat.
Manager Mickey Callaway said that deGrom feels so good that the Mets might not bother with his previously scheduled MRI on Monday. Dr. David Altchek, the Mets' medical director who spoke by phone with deGrom after he was sore, will make the MRI decision.