Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
Jacob deGrom left his Sunday start with “right side tightness,” but he has a “good” prognosis and may have avoided anything serious, according to Jon Morosi.
He had an MRI after the game, and Morosi says it “did not discover a serious or long-term injury.” Sunday’s injury, which manager Luis Rojas said deGrom was feeling more in his lower back, was especially concerning after his start was pushed back four days due to tightness in his lat muscle on the same side.
DeGrom was perfect through four innings Sunday before allowing a hit and three walks in the fifth. It was his first time allowing three walks in an inning in three years, according to Sarah Langs. That was the start where deGrom returned from the injured list with a sore elbow, threw 40 pitches in the first inning versus the Phillies, and didn’t allow a run.
In classic deGrom fashion, though, he escaped Sunday’s fifth inning allowing just a run. When he came back out to warm up for the sixth, he threw two uncomfortable warm-up pitches and left with trainer Brian Chicklo.
Morosi reported deGrom could spend a short time on the 10-day injured list, which is probably the right move after two injury scares. The Mets have three off days over the next week and a half, so deGrom would realistically only miss one-and-a-half turns through the rotation. He can give his whole right side a couple extra days to heal, and he can come back for the Miami Marlins series starting May 21, should he be feeling better.
DeGrom earned the win on Sunday despite leaving early, and he’s now 3-2 on the year with a 0.68 ERA and 0.60 WHIP. He has 65 strikeouts over 40 innings.
