Jacob deGrom was set to undergo another MRI and CT scan on his shoulder on Monday, his third since being diagnosed with a stress reaction in his right scapula nearly seven weeks ago, and Mets GM Billy Eppler told the media Monday that team would release a public update on those test results “when appropriate.”
deGrom has been throwing off flat ground, getting up to 75 feet, but even if Monday’s tests reveal the best-case scenario and he is able to ramp up activity, he’s still at least a month or more away – and that’s by design.
“When you start talking about bone, it’s a little different than muscle tendons,” pitching coach Jeremy Hefner told MLB.com on Monday, shortly before the Mets’ game with the Cardinals was postponed. “You don’t want to mess around with bone, especially with a stress reaction in bones. We don’t want to mess around with reinjuring that type of situation, because then he’s done for the year. So we’re definitely going to play the long game with him to make sure that we have him for the rest of the season.”
The best case scenario is that the tests come back clean, at which point team doctors will clear him to throw bullpens. Hefner told MLB.com that deGrom is throwing “without pain or issue or anything like that,” but he’d still need to build up endurance, as he will basically need to go through a full spring training.
That, in a normal year, is five to six weeks, the latter end of that puts deGrom somewhere around the last week of June, just a couple weeks before the All-Star break.
“Obviously, we want him back as soon as possible,” Hefner said. “But you’ve got to really make sure that he’s built up properly, and he feels good. We need to make sure that not only are we doing what’s best for the Mets, trying to win the World Series this year, but also what’s best for the player.”
The righty did not pitch after the All-Star break last season, so a return in the second half would mark a full year away from the mound. deGrom is currently in Florida rehabbing but is expected to rejoin the Mets once he begins ramping up in earnest, which it seems the two-time Cy Young winner is looking forward to.
“The team’s performance, I think he wants to be a part of it,” Hefner said. “He’s doing extremely well. He’s doing everything he should be doing right now, so all signs are pointing positive.”
The Mets entered Wednesday with the NL’s best record at 23-13, but they also just lost RHP Tylor Megill – who took deGrom’s spot in the rotation – to the 15-day I.L. due to right biceps tendinitis, meaning they will need to recall another starting pitcher to fill that spot again.
In the immediate term, Trevor Williams, who threw 3 2/3 innings behind Megill last week, was expected to start Monday’s postponed game in Megill’s place, and he is now likely to get the start in Game 1 of Tuesday’s doubleheader.
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