When it comes to the health of star pitcher Jacob deGrom, the Mets are going to err on the side of caution.
New York manager Buck Showalter said Monday that deGrom, who recently returned to the rotation from injury, would have his scheduled Tuesday start bumped back to Thursday or Friday against Colorado.
Right-hander Taijuan Walker, who is dealing with back discomfort and missed his scheduled start Sunday, is now slated to start Tuesday against the Yankees. The Mets are off on Wednesday.
DeGrom, who missed the second half of last season with an ailing elbow and then suffered a shoulder injury in spring training, had started three games on schedule since his Aug. 2 season debut against the Nationals. In four starts this season, deGrom is 2–1 with a 2.31 ERA, 37 strikeouts and just one walk in 23.1 innings.
Showalter indicated that the rotation shuffle is a product of multiple issues. First, the Mets didn’t want Walker to get too far off his normal pitching schedule. Then, by moving deGrom back, the team is able to provide the star right-hander with additional rest.
“The feedback we get from [deGrom], and everybody, on where he is,” Showalter said when asked why deGrom would be moved back in the rotation. “Keep in mind, the torque and the things you do to create what he creates. We’re trying to be careful.”
If deGrom isn’t tapped to start Thursday, the Mets will turn to right-hander Chris Bassitt. Subsequently, deGrom would be bumped to Friday.
“We’ve gone a long stretch now where these guys haven’t gotten much extra time,” Showalter said. “We want to try to stay ahead of it because September is right around the corner. … We’re trying to keep everybody healthy.”
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