Jacob deGrom and the New York Mets’ best-case scenario looks to be coming to fruition.
The two-time defending NL Cy Young Award winner will head back to the mound on Wednesday for his regularly-scheduled start against the Miami Marlins after missing his previous outing on Friday against the Philadelphia Phillies due to neck tightness.
DeGrom threw a bullpen session Monday without any issues in Miami to get the green light.
“After seeing the [side session], he just needs to show up,” Mets manager Luis Rojas said. “He looked really good.”
The decision to scratch deGrom was initially described as precautionary, especially given the mysterious nature of its occurrence.
“This popped up out of nowhere. I’ve been feeling really good,” deGrom said on Friday. “I don’t know if I just slept on it wrong or what, but it just came out of nowhere. It’s really frustrating.”
His return allows the Mets to breathe a slight sigh of relief amidst a 2020 season that has seen the starting rotation ransacked by injury and COVID-19.
They were already without Noah Syndergaard (Tommy John surgery), Marcus Stroman (2020 season opt-out), and Michael Wacha (shoulder inflammation) when deGrom was scratched late from his Friday start.
On Tuesday, the also lost David Peterson to the 10-day injured list because of shoulder fatigue.
It forced the Mets to throw Walker Lockett and now Corey Oswalt into what already is a hodgepodge of a rotation. Steven Matz has struggled mightily to the point where there are talks of demoting him to the bullpen while Rick Porcello has improved to become an innings eater of sorts after two horrendous debut starts.
Meanwhile, Robert Gsellman — a starter turned reliever — is being stretched out to be the Mets’ fifth starter for the time being.
DeGrom once again is off to a strong start this season with a 2-0 record, 2.45 ERA, and a WHIP of 0.955.
