Mets right-hander Jacob deGrom has been battling a lower back issue, but has made some positive strides.
On Tuesday morning, deGrom tossed about 30 pitches over two innings in a simulated game, and if he feels good, may be lined up to start his first Grapefruit League game of the season this weekend.
Mets manager Mickey Callaway said he would like his starting pitchers to start five outings this Spring. If deGrom does in fact start this weekend and remains on an every-fifth-day schedule, it would put him in line to start the second game of the season against the St. Louis Cardinals on March 31.
Ideally, deGrom and the Mets would like to have him start Opening Day, but pitching coach Dave Eiland said last week that the team isn’t going to push it and that deGrom has to be healthy first and foremost.
“We’re not gonna be careless just so he can pitch Opening Day,” Eiland said. “If it falls where he can [start], he will, because he’s earned it. He deserves that start.
“But we’re not gonna push the envelope and be careless and he starts Opening Day and doesn’t start again until June. That would be pretty ignorant on our part, so we’re not gonna do that.”
DeGrom echoed Eiland’s notion.
“If I don’t start Opening Day, it’s not the end of the world,” deGrom said. “The goal is to go out there and make every start once the season starts. Whether that’s Opening Day or the third, fourth or fifth day, the goal is to make every one of them.”
This post will be updated with additional quotes.
