Slowly but surely, the New York Mets are getting closer to having their ace return to the rotation later this month.
Jacob deGrom (stress reaction on right scapula) felt good the day after his first rehab outing and is expected to make his second start for Port St. Lucie on Friday against the Daytona Tortugas, as manager Buck Showalter told reporters in Cincinnati on Monday, prior to the Mets' 7-4 win over the Reds.
“It’s coming out good,” Showalter said. “It’s not because he’s trying at max effort (and) torque. He’s just got a rested arm.”
In his first live game action since injuring his shoulder towards the end of spring training, deGrom went 1 2/3 innings on 24 pitches (goal was 25 pitches) for Single A Port St. Lucie on Sunday, while striking out five of six batters he faced. He also lit up the radar gun, averaging 99 mph on his fastball, 93-94 mph on his slider, and topping out at 101 mph.
DeGrom will now be on a five-day schedule. Should he make a total of four rehab starts, this would put him on track to rejoin the Mets by late-July, somewhere between the July 23-27 range.
The Mets will get co-ace Max Scherzer back from the IL on Tuesday night in Cincinnati, with deGrom hopefully not too far behind him.
Outfield Depth
Beyond the promising news about deGrom, outfielder Travis Jankowski (recovering from finger surgery) began a rehab assignment with Triple A Syracuse on Monday night.
Jankowski went 1-for-2 with a walk and stolen base in his first contest since landing on the IL in late-May. He is not expected to require extensive time in Syracuse, before he is deemed ready to rejoin the big-league club.
While his numbers didn't show it: .209 average, .292 on-base and .501 OPS, Jankowski proved to be a valuable depth piece for the Mets prior to undergoing surgery in late-May. The 31-year-old was mainly used as a pinch-runner and defensive replacement, but his speed on the base paths and skills in the outfield made him a spark plug.
With Jankowski nearing a return, Ender Inciarte's or Dominic Smith's roster spot could be in jeopardy. In Smith's case, he is beginning to heat up at the plate, and the Mets are hoping he can either increase his production in their lineup or build some trade value.
Read More:
- Mets' Jacob deGrom Dominates in First Rehab Start
- Mets Top Prospect Francisco Alvarez One Step Away From Major Leagues
- Max Scherzer to Return From IL, Will Pitch for Mets in Cincinnati
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