New York Mets starting pitcher Jacob deGrom (48) throws a pitch in the first inning during spring training against the St. Louis Cardinals at Clover Park. Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

Mets two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom scratched from spring training start, headed for MRI

By Victor Barbosa | Last updated 4/1/22

With a starting rotation headed by two of the most dominant pitchers in baseball, the New York Mets are expected to be one of the top contenders in the National League in 2022. Fans got some potentially dire news on Thursday night and Friday morning regarding one of those two co-aces, though.

The Mets already made plans for Jacob deGrom to get an MRI on his shoulder today: https://t.co/CgZIFHv85h
— Tim Healey (@timbhealey) April 1, 2022

Jacob deGrom update: He has been scratched from his start and is going for “images” at 9:30 a.m., Buck Showalter said.
— Tim Healey (@timbhealey) April 1, 2022

The Mets open their regular season on Thursday, and deGrom would presumably get the starting nod if healthy, though newcomer Max Scherzer — a three-time Cy Young award winner — could certainly be up to the task. Scherzer earned his first Cy Young award in 2013 with the Detroit Tigers and captured back-to-back NL Cy Young honors in 2016 and 2017 with the Washington Nationals, before deGrom captured the honor in 2018 and 2019 with the Mets.

deGrom made just 15 starts in 2021, with his final one coming in July, before he was shut down for the year due to an elbow injury. The 33-year-old earned the NL Rookie of the Year award in 2014 and is a four-time All-Star.

deGrom led the league in ERA (1.70) in 2018 and strikeouts in 2019 (255) and 2020 (104). Despite his status as arguably the best pitcher in baseball over the last four seasons, the former ninth-round pick has been a victim of poor run support over the years.

A DeLand, Fla., native, deGrom has a 2.50 career ERA and a 1.01 WHIP, but has gone just 77-53 in 198 games started.

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