SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — The New York Mets will be without one of the most dominant pitchers in Major League Baseball at least early in the season.
Jacob deGrom will miss significant time with inflammation in the shoulder area. The ailment is a serious blow to a team that has invested heavily in seeking to go far this season.
“He is disappointed. We also. We all share the disappointment for now. No one is immune to that,” Mets general manager Billy Eppler said.
The New York ace won’t be able to pitch for even four weeks. There is not even a timetable for his return, the club acknowledged on Friday.
The Mets said an MRI taken earlier in the day showed the scapula reacting to excessive tension, causing the swelling.
DeGrom, a two-time Cy Young Award winner, was scheduled to start the season opener on Thursday in Washington. The Mets had considered his rotation to be one of their strengths this season, after signing three-time Cy Young winner Max Scherzer and trading for Chris Bassitt.
“I think the good news here is that there is no structural injury, rotator cuff-wise or anything like that. We are dealing with a bone problem, and when that happens, there is calcification. The recovery will present itself, so I consider it positive that we can talk about this, “said Eppler.
After a sensational start last season, deGrom did not pitch in the second half due to a sprained elbow. He went 7-2 with a 1.08 ERA in 15 starts, but New York collapsed without him to go 77-85 after leading the NL East for 103 days.
His last start was on July 7, against Milwaukee.
The right-hander appeared healthy in camp this year and had allowed one run in five innings in the Grapefruit League, striking out 10.
His most recent appearance was on Sunday, against the Cardinals.
