4:18 pm: New York is sending deGrom for an MRI “just to see what’s going on,” manager Luis Rojas told reporters (including Anthony DiComo of MLB.com). Rojas says deGrom’s current discomfort is in the right side of his lower back, not his lat.
2:15 pm: The Mets announced deGrom was removed for precautionary reasons with right side tightness (via David Lennon of Newsday).
1:56 pm: Mets ace Jacob deGrom left this afternoon’s start against the Diamondbacks early after a visit from the team trainer, Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News was among those to pass along (Twitter link). deGrom worked five innings before leaving during his warm-up pitches to start the sixth.
Any premature departure for the two-time NL Cy Young award winner would cause concern, but it’s especially alarming to see deGrom pulled after he was scratched from his previous start with right lat inflammation. deGrom did come out strong today, holding his typical high-90’s velocity over five frames of one-hit, one-run ball.
The 32-year-old has been nothing short of incredible this season. He’s now up to 40 innings with a 0.68 ERA and a fantastic 46.1% strikeout rate against a 5.0% walk rate. So long as he’s healthy, deGrom looks on his way to another Cy Young-caliber campaign, and he’s of upmost importance if the 15-13 Mets are to remain atop the National League East over the course of the season.
