The Mets’ hopes for an uncomplicated Jacob deGrom return to the rotation were dashed Friday, when the ace right-hander was shut down from throwing because of further inflammation in his right forearm.
DeGrom, according to acting general manager Zack Scott, won’t throw for at least two weeks. He will then need a ramp up, pushing his projected return into September at the earliest.
An MRI exam confirmed there was no structural damage to deGrom’s forearm, according to Scott. The Mets had previously hoped for an early-August comeback from deGrom, who returned from the All-Star break with lingering tightness in the forearm and was placed on the injured list retroactive to July 15.
“I would expect him to pitch again this season,” Scott said on a night the Mets lost 6-2 to the Reds at Citi Field. “But you don’t mess around with this type of thing.”
Scott said he knew about deGrom’s situation hours before the 4 p.m. trade deadline, but the information wasn’t enough to influence the team’s decisions. The Mets acquired Javier Baez and back-end starter Trevor Williams (who was subsequently optioned to Triple-A Syracuse) from the Cubs.
According to an industry source, the Mets had a choice between Zach Davies and Williams in the deal. Because both were viewed equally from a talent perspective, they chose Williams because he had a minor-league option remaining and could move between Syracuse and the major leagues as needed.
Why didn’t Scott pursue further pitching?
“When I looked at what was out there – let’s face it we’re not replacing Jake,” Scott said. “I think there were only two pitchers in the entire trade market that could even come close and one of them [Max Scherzer] wasn’t coming here.
“The other was [Jose] Berrios and the Twins got a package that we couldn’t match. They just told us that. If somebody tells you there’s nothing you can offer that beats what we have, then I don’t know what you do.”
Scott said the scarcity of even mid-range starting pitching and the escalated asking prices in terms of talent kept him from making headway on that front.
DeGrom had thrown a 36-pitch bullpen on Thursday – his second light side session since originally being shut down.
The two-time Cy Young winner was putting together a historically dominant season with a 1.08 ERA through 15 starts. He last pitched on July 7.
Before the elbow inflammation, deGrom had experienced multiple injury scares this season elsewhere in his body – lat tightness, side tightness, shoulder soreness – though none of them proved to be as serious as this one.
Now, the Mets’ best hope is for deGrom to return healthy in September – the same month Noah Syndergaard could potentially return after his comeback from Tommy John surgery also hit a setback because of elbow inflammation. There is no guarantee, though, whether Syndergaard will return as a starter or reliever, with Scott leaving the door open to either earlier this week.