Jacob deGrom's MRI shows improvement, but what's next for the Mets ace?

Andrew Tredinnick, NorthJersey.com
·2 min read
1
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

NEW YORK — The Mets are playing close to the vest about a timeline regarding Jacob deGrom, but the good news for fans is that there has not been any setbacks.

The team announced on Tuesday morning that deGrom's latest MRI showed continued healing in the right scapula. With the steady improvement, deGrom will now begin building distance and velocity into his throwing program.

"It looked pretty clean," general manager Billy Eppler said. "Just like everything, things continue to calcify after they’ve had a reaction or a trauma to them. It looked really good on the picture. We had it looked by a number of doctors."

DeGrom has been sidelined since the final week of spring training due to a stress reaction in the right scapula. A week ago, he began throwing on flat ground at about 60 feet.

The next step in deGrom's throwing program is the final hurdle before deGrom gets back on the mound.

New York Mets starting pitcher Jacob deGrom, left, reacts as Milwaukee Brewers' Jace Peterson runs the bases after hitting a home run during the fifth inning of the first baseball game of a doubleheader, Wednesday, July 7, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
New York Mets starting pitcher Jacob deGrom, left, reacts as Milwaukee Brewers' Jace Peterson runs the bases after hitting a home run during the fifth inning of the first baseball game of a doubleheader, Wednesday, July 7, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

"It’s just something that we had to deal with," Buck Showalter said. "It’s exciting to think that he’s making progress to being back with us. We don’t assume anything. Everybody feels good about where he is. I know Jake’s looking real forward to rejoining the team and being around the team again."

Injury: Why this Mets' starting rotation is equipped to deal with Jacob deGrom injury

Although Eppler and Showalter each said a strategy is in place for how deGrom will proceed and how many rehab starts he will need before returning to the major leagues, neither would disclose those plans.

"I know a little bit more about what the plans are, but I don’t want to jinx it with the baseball gods," Showalter said. "You guys know Jake. He’s very in tune with his family’s needs, when it’s time to come up here, he’s been on top of all that."

Added Eppler: "We do have a general sense, but we’re not going to go into that detail. I think one of the things we’ve tried to be consistent with here is just not setting timelines on people but more treating them as they progress through things."

Starling Marte in mourning

San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Alex Cobb, right, falls over New York Mets runner Starling Marte (6) who scored on a wild pitch during the first inning of the first game of a baseball double-header Tuesday, April 19, 2022, in New York.
San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Alex Cobb, right, falls over New York Mets runner Starling Marte (6) who scored on a wild pitch during the first inning of the first game of a baseball double-header Tuesday, April 19, 2022, in New York.

Startling Marte will not be with the Mets for the next three to seven days after his grandmother passed away suddenly. He was placed on the bereavement list on Tuesday.

The Mets outfielder was raised by his grandmother since he was 10 years old after his mother passed away suddenly.

The news also comes on the eve of the two-year anniversary of his wife's death. She suffered a heart attack and died suddenly in 2020.

Andrew Tredinnick is the Mets beat writer for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to all Mets analysis, news, trades and more, please subscribe today and download our app.

Email: atredinnick@gannett.com Twitter: @andrew_tred

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Jacob deGrom injury: NY Mets pitcher progressing after MRI