RHP Jacob deGrom is on his way to be with his wife as she gives birth to the couple’s first child.
According to a report by Adam Rubin, the team is reluctant to place deGrom on paternity leave and call up a player from Vegas, because that would eliminate the opportunity to backdate any future DL stint to deGrom’s last outing if it’s required.
Putting deGrom on paternity leave would allow the Mets to add another arm if the bullpen gets overtaxed tonight.
DeGrom will miss his next turn in the rotation because of a sore right lat muscle on Wednesday and right-hander Logan Verrett will start in his place against the Miami Marlins.
Still no MRI for deGrom according to the Mets manager. The expectant father has said he feels better but not better enough to pitch.
April 9 Update
According to manager Terry Collins, Jacob deGrom‘s right lat continued to feel “pretty sore” a day after having his start cut short on Fiday.
If deGrom shows no improvement and is forced to miss his bullpen on Sunday, he will likely miss his next scheduled start on Wednesday against the Miami Marlins.
Logan Verrett will replace deGrom if that happens. However if tonight’s game is postponed, the starters will all be moved up a day instead.
DeGrom declined to speak with reporters on Saturday, and he is not scheduled to have an MRI.
Original Report
New York Mets ace, Jacob deGrom exited Friday’s home opener with what was being described as a “lat issue.” He had felt tightness while throwing fastballs to his Phillies pitcher, Jerad Eickhoff in the sixth inning. Jacob did not seem to believe it was anything to worry about.
“I think we’ll see how it feels tomorrow,” said deGrom. “I was going to go out there for the seventh, and then I thought twice about it and said, ‘Hey, maybe I should say something. It’s early on. It’s a little cold out today. Let’s not push it.’” (ESPN)
Overall, deGrom put forth a great effort on opening day prior to leaving the game, pitching six strong innings. In the outing he allowed just one run on five hits, while striking out six. He did not allow a walk in his first win of the season, and only threw 76 pitches. This wasn’t the first sign of an injury to deGrom as previously in spring training he complained of back tightness.
It is worth noting that last year, Steven Matz succumbed to a lat strain as well and lost two months of his season. Hopefully with deGrom this is nothing more than tightness. Jacob, who has been on baby watch, was expected to have to leave the game at any moment if his wife had gone into labor. He spoke with her earlier in the day to ease those concerns.
“I think that gave me a little peace of mind going into today,” deGrom said. “Once I get out there, I think the competitiveness takes over. I wasn’t really thinking about that too much.”
The concerns may now raise even more with the previous talk of deGrom’s fastball not being where it normally had been in years past. In spring training his fastball sat between 91-93 MPH. In yesterday’s home opener, it averaged at 92.8 MPH, last season he averaged 95 MPH.
“That’s been a question I’ve been getting asked all spring,” deGrom said. “It was cold out today. I think it’ll be back sometime soon. … I took a little more time off in the offseason. We played late last year. I feel good. Or I felt good until that [lat issue Friday]. I’m not worried about the velocity.”
Hopefully it rings true that this is nothing more than tightness. Losing a pitcher like deGrom for any period of time could prove to be costly.
