LOS ANGELES — Nothing like encouraging Jacob deGrom news to quell the disappointment of the Mets’ start to their Dodgers series.
DeGrom threw a bullpen session on Saturday at Citi Field, said general manager Billy Eppler. It was the first time the Mets ace got back on a mound since he learned in late March of the stress reaction on his right scapula. DeGrom threw 19 pitches, all fastballs, at moderate intensity.
The right-hander will continue to build up his progression on the mound with more bullpens. After that, his next step will be facing hitters in live batting practice, but he’s not there just yet. For now, the Mets will take any progress they can get from their ace, who last pitched in a major league game on July 7, 2021.
The Mets (35-19) remain hopeful that deGrom can return to the rotation before the All-Star break, a four-day stretch which begins on July 18. If the two-time Cy Young award winner can continue his ramp up without any setbacks, that timeline is certainly reasonable. But the Mets have also been careful to be cautious with the best arm on their staff. Pushing deGrom now, while the Mets hold the largest divisional lead in the majors, is not the wisest decision. They want him for the long run; his health would be especially important in a potential playoff scenario.
At the same time, the Mets witnessed in their first two games against the Dodgers what could be when their aces are healthy. The Mets were shut out for the first time this season on Thursday in the series opener at Chavez Ravine. And southpaw Tyler Anderson again stifled Mets bats in Friday’s loss. He’s now thrown 26 consecutive scoreless innings across his past three outings.
The Dodgers pitching staff owns the best ERA (2.78) in the National League and second-best in MLB, right behind the Yankees (2.73). The Dodgers and Yankees are recording the kind of shutout innings the Mets hoped they’d produce with deGrom and Max Scherzer leading the top of their rotation. Instead, deGrom and Scherzer have only pitched in the same rotation in spring training. Scherzer (oblique strain) is aiming for a July return after going 5-1 with a 2.54 ERA in eight starts for the Mets this season.
DeGrom will have plenty to prove once he’s back in the Mets rotation, most importantly that he can stay healthy long enough to carry the Mets to their first postseason appearance since 2016. The 33-year-old has battled multiple injuries in the past year and, while starter Tylor Megill — who is also working his way back from the injured list with right biceps tendinitis — has proven he can be a solid replacement, the Mets would like to find a way to ensure deGrom can stay on the mound.
DeGrom said back in spring training that he intends to exercise his opt-out after the 2022 season, after which he will become a free agent. It is unclear if his current right shoulder injury has altered those plans.
