The Mets’ rotation was almost universally admitted to the hospital in 2017. Jacob deGrom was the lone survivor in a group that boasted incredible depth at the start of spring training, but then saw the depth injured, necessitating the introduction of additional depth. deGrom would log 201 innings and post a 119 ERA+ in the second-best full season of his career.
Jacob deGrom survived 2017, but now he’s getting an elbow MRI
Thursday’s Say Hey, Baseball looks at the one Mets’ pitcher who thrived in 2017 facing injury in 2018.
Photo by Elsa/Getty Images
The 2018 season is not going to go the same way for deGrom, as he hyperextended his elbow on a swing Wednesday night. The Mets’ right-hander will undergo an MRI to determine the extent of the damage, but with an elbow, the news is going to be bad or worse.
He had been the Mets’ best pitcher to this point, posting a 205 ERA+ while averaging nearly 6-2/3 innings per start before Wednesday’s truncated appearance. Now, he’s set to miss considerable time even in the best of circumstances, at the same time Matt Harvey is in the bullpen, Steven Matz is experiencing back stiffness, and depth piece Rafael Montero is already out for the year.
The Mets are currently half-a-game back of the first-place Braves (yes, the Atlanta Braves lead the National League East as of the morning of May 3, 2018). Things have been tight thus far in that division, and could be that way all season long: the Braves and Phillies (1.5 back of Atlanta) are both potentially in the phase of their rebuilding where they can compete, the Nationals are in fourth but are all of four games back just over a month into the season, and the Mets should be successful so long as they’re healthy.
That’s always the question with the Mets, isn’t it?
Update, 11:05 a.m.: deGrom’s MRI came back clean, and he’s going to try to start Monday. That’s good news, but also kind of bad news, since the Mets are just going to rush right back into letting him pitch instead of giving it at least a little time.
Maybe nothing will go wrong! This is the Mets and an injury, though, so you know something could definitely go wrong.
- It has been some week for Astros’ pitchers on Twitter. First it was dunking on Trevor Bauer for being a dope in public, and then it’s Justin Verlander letting us all know he didn’t get diarrhea.
- Orbit, the Astros’ mascot, decided Aaron Judge looks like Sid from Toy Story. And, well ... see for yourself.
- Here’s MLB Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez at a Bruins’ game in a Bruins sweater, which is not how I expected to see Martinez this morning.
- Whitney McIntosh investigated whether the Rockies’ coffee orders are too fancy for baseball.
- The Rays lost on a walkoff bunt in extra innings, which is both the best and worst combination of things.
- Sam Miller wonders what players being paid on commission would look like, but don’t worry, it’s all framed in a way where even my commie ass can enjoy it.
- David Roth’s most recent attempt to remember these guys is live, this time featuring the baseball players of 1991.
- Talking Chop writes about those first-place Braves, saying a whole lot of people (including some of them) were wrong about this team.
- Bluebird Banter wonders how desperately the Blue Jays need Josh Donaldson back.
- The Johnny Cueto news is ... not great.
See More:
