deGrom Shows Rust in Latest Rehab Start

Mets’ Jacob deGrom Struggles in Possible Final Rehab Start 

   Sometimes things just don’t go as planned, especially in baseball. 

   That sentiment was true for New York Mets starter Jacob deGrom, who made his second rehab start with triple-A Syracuse on Wednesday. Unfortunately, the 34-year-old didn’t perform as well as he probably hoped. 

   deGrom completed four innings against the Omaha Storm Chasers – the triple-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals – allowing four runs on two hits and three walks. Most of the damage he surrendered was on a pair of home runs from Brewer Hicklen and Drew Waters. 

   New York’s ace faltered out of the gate, walking the first batter he faced before sitting down the next three batters – including catcher Salvador Pérez – to conclude the first inning. 

   The second inning, however, proved the most challenging for deGrom. He gave up a solo home run to start, then walked the next two batters and ultimately surrendered a three-run shot to Waters. Still, the right-hander did record all three outs via strikeouts. 

   Following a miserable second inning, the 6’4” hurler began to find his groove in the third, registering a clean one-two-three frame. He did the same in the fourth inning, blazing through all three batters on just seven pitches. 

   One of the biggest issues that deGrom faced was his control, throwing just 41 of his 67 pitches for strikes. That converted to a 61 percent strike rate, which isn’t ideal. 

   The four-time All-Star still finished with six strikeouts, though, with all six coming on swinging strikes. His outing wasn’t perfect, but he certainly ended on a positive note. 

   It’s important to note that deGrom was pitching on six days’ rest after the team decided to delay his start, opting for caution once he reported some minor shoulder soreness coming out of the All-Star break. So it wouldn’t be shocking if he was battling some rust. 

   The next step for deGrom, who’s been sidelined all season due to a stress reaction in his right scapula, could be returning to the majors. If everything checks out, the veteran hurler may return next week during the Mets series versus the Washington Nationals, beginning on August 1st. 

   When deGrom takes the mound, it’ll be his first major-league appearance in over a year, with his last start occurring against the Milwaukee Brewers on July 7, 2021. He posted 10 strikeouts across seven innings during his team’s 4-3 victory. 

   It’ll be a very special moment when one of the game’s best pitchers returns to action following his extended absence. And the two-time Cy Young Award winner should provide a massive boost to New York’s pitching staff upon his return. 

   Since 2018, deGrom has been sensational, recording a 1.94 ERA, a 2.14 FIP, a .187 OPP AVG and a 34.7 percent strikeout rate across 91 starts. He led all big-league starters in fWAR (23.5) during that span. 

   After being apart all season, deGrom and Max Scherzer will soon be paired at the front of the Mets’ starting rotation, finally providing them with the lethal one-two punch they envisioned when they signed Scherzer in free agency. 

-Thomas Hall

Twitter: @ThomasHall85

Photo: slgckgc. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.