Report: Mets 'leaning towards' shutting ace Jacob deGrom down for season

There continue to be signs that New York Mets ace Jacob deGrom won't face hitters in a competitive setting again before some time next year. 

Earlier this week, SNY's Andy Martino heavily suggested deGrom wouldn't be available through at least the rest of the regular season because of the lingering elbow inflammation that will keep him from throwing a baseball before Aug. 27 at the earliest. 

On Wednesday, Pat Ragazzo of Sports Illustrated/Inside the Mets reported New York is "leaning towards" shutting the two-time National League Cy Young Award winner down for the remainder of the campaign. 

Ragazzo's update feels more like the inevitable conclusion to the story than a surprise, as deGrom hasn't pitched since July 7 (before the All-Star break) and was on track to maybe return to the rotation for the final week of regular-season play. The 33-year-old has dealt with six separate injury issues since the start of the campaign, and the Mets began Wednesday's contest at the San Francisco Giants sitting four-and-a-half games behind the first-place Atlanta Braves in the NL East standings and holding a record of 59-60.

Truth be told, there are concerns among fans deGrom may not be ready for Opening Day next spring, so rushing him back in September seems to be a risk not worth taking for anyone involved.