Jacob deGrom makes a rehab start during a game with the Daytona Tortugas in Daytona Beach, Friday, July 8, 2022. Nigel Cook/News-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

Mets ace Jacob deGrom expected to return by end of July vs. Yankees?

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 7/15/22

The New York Mets confirmed earlier this week that ace Jacob deGrom would make his third rehab start on Thursday as the next step in his recovery from the stress reaction in the scapula of his pitching shoulder that's prevented him from competing in the big leagues all season.

As Manny Randhawa noted for the MLB website, deGrom threw 42 pitches with 29 strikes and four strikeouts over four innings of work in Thursday's outing against the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. The 34-year-old also allowed one unearned run on two hits with a single walk.

While speaking during an MLB Network segment on Friday, league insider Jon Morosi explained why he believes deGrom is on track to return to the Mets before the end of the month and possibly for a start versus the New York Yankees on July 26 or July 27:

Hey @Mets fans, we have a Jacob DeGrom update for you ‼️@jonmorosi thinks we could see the 4x All-Star back by the end of the month. Could it be against the Yankees? #MLBCentral | #LGM | @LaurenShehadi pic.twitter.com/zOuBuqtQpe
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) July 15, 2022

The Mets will first monitor how deGrom's shoulder reacts to an upcoming simulated game before they determine what comes next, as the two-time National League Cy Young Award winner still hasn't pitched in an MLB regular-season contest since July 7, 2021. He missed the second half of the 2021 campaign due to lingering elbow issues.

"It hasn't been that much fun," deGrom admitted about his latest rehab experience following Thursday's performance. "I'm trying to stick to the process. I want to be up there helping the [Mets]. … With this injury, it was kind of cut and dried -- hey, you've gotta take this amount of time and slowly work your way back. It stinks being out, but getting close now, so definitely ready to be back up there."

The first-place Mets began Friday holding a two-and-a-half-game lead over the second-place Atlanta Braves in the NL East standings.

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