PORT SAINT LUCIE, Fla. – The worst has been confirmed for the New York Mets. Their ace pitcher Jacob deGrom will miss the start of the season, according to Jeff Passan ofESPN.
Passan adds that while his return date is unknown, deGrom will miss “a lot of time to start 2022”.
New York Mets right-hander Jacob deGrom will miss Opening Day after imaging showed a stress reaction in his right scapula, sources tell ESPN. While the timetable for deGrom’s return is unclear, he’s expected to miss a significant amount of time to start 2022. Story soon at ESPN.
– Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) April 1, 2022
Thursday evening, we learned that deGrom could not make his scheduled departure on Friday and that he was going to undergo an MRI after feeling stiffness in his right shoulder.
The MRI showed a problem in the right shoulder blade.
Mets manager Buck Showalter told reporters Thursday night that deGrom likely won’t be in the roster against the St. Louis Cardinals. He started feeling stiff on Thursday.
The two-time Cy Young Trophy winner was scheduled to start Thursday’s season opener in Washington.
That’s worrying news for the Mets, who have big ambitions this season after signing ace Max Scherzer to join deGrom in a formidable rotation.
After a sensational start last year, deGrom did not pitch in the second half of the season due to a sprained elbow. He was 7-2 with a 1.08 ERA in 15 outings, but the Mets crumbled without him to finish 77-85 after leading the National League East for 103 days. He made his last start on July 7 against the Milwaukee Brewers.
The right-hander came to camp healthy this year and allowed one run in five innings in Grapefruit League games, striking out 10 batters. He made his most recent appearance on the mound Sunday against the Cardinals.
Earlier in camp, deGrom said he plans to exercise his option to terminate his contract after this season and become a free agent.
