New York Mets manager Buck Showalter said Tuesday that he's prepared to start ace Jacob deGrom in Wednesday's regular-season finale against the Washington Nationals if the National League East is up for grabs.
The Mets entered Tuesday 1 1/2 games behind the Atlanta Braves. The Mets would have to sweep Tuesday's doubleheader against the Nationals and have the Braves lose a second consecutive game to the Miami Marlins on Tuesday to have a shot at the division crown.
Every team in the majors plays at the same time on Wednesday afternoon. Any Mets loss or Braves win means the Braves win the division.
"He's available to pitch (Wednesday). Potentially could," Showalter said. "It's one of many options that have been communicated with him and Max (Scherzer) and all the guys."
However, pitching deGrom and falling short of the NL East title would keep the Mets from using him in the first two games of the wild-card series.
"We'll make the adjustment. I'm OK with that," Showalter said. "Just keep trying to stay organized for any pivots you have to make. There a lot of potential scenarios."
Showalter also said that outfielder Starling Marte is still unable to grip a ball or a bat. Marte is not a lock to be on the Mets' wild-card roster but Showalter hasn't ruled him out yet, either.
"Still got some discomfort there," Showalter said. "It's very frustrating for him."
Marte was placed on the injured list Sept. 10 with a nondisplaced fracture of his right middle finger after taking a 95-mph fastball off the finger from Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Mitch Keller on Sept. 6.
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