The Opener: deGrom, Ryan, Hays

It’s already been an eventful morning with an early Braves DFA and a major shakeup in Chicago. Here are three more things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day:

1. deGrom to face hitters:

Two-time Cy Young winner Jacob deGrom made just six starts in a Rangers uniform last year before undergoing Tommy John surgery, but the 36-year-old hurler is poised to take in major step in his rehab today. Per Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News, deGrom is scheduled to throw a bullpen session before facing minor league hitters for a 20-pitch simulated inning of work. It’s his first time facing hitters since going under the knife, but Grant suggests that if today’s session goes well the veteran right-hander could begin a rehab assignment in fairly short order. Long regarded as perhaps the best pitcher in all of baseball when healthy enough to take the mound, deGrom has a phenomenal 2.08 ERA, 2.11 FIP, and 35.6% strikeout rate since the start of the 2018 season but has been limited to just 32 starts since the start of the 2021 campaign by a number of injuries.

2. Ryan exits with injury:

Twins right-hander Joe Ryan looked quite good through two innings of work against the Cubs yesterday, striking out two while allowing nothing outside of a solo home run to Chicago rookie Michael Busch. Unfortunately, those two innings would be his only work of the game as he uncorked a high splitter way out of the zone and called to the dugout, exiting shortly thereafter due to what the team later referred to as triceps tightness. After the game, manager Rocco Baldelli spoke to reporters (including Dan Hayes of The Athletic) regarding the issue but provided little in terms of concrete details regarding the injury.

Baldelli suggested that the club would know more about the severity of the issue in a few days, but it was likely that the right-hander would miss “at least some time.” Any absence of any significance would be a frustrating development for a Twins club that has already had its starting pitching depth tested by the losses of Anthony DeSclafani (before the season began) and Chris Paddack (who recently returned to the IL for a second time this season). Louie Varland appears to be the most likely candidate to a step into a rotation role in Ryan’s stead, though the 26-year-old has struggled at both the major and minor league levels this year and seems unlikely to provide production close to what Ryan has offered this year: a 3.60 ERA and 3.44 FIP in 23 starts.

3. Hays to undergo further evaluation:

Newly-acquired Phillies outfielder Austin Hays is just ten games into his tenure with the club but may be headed for the shelf after exiting yesterday’s game with what the club announced as hamstring tightness when he pulled up while running to first base in the third inning. Manager Rob Thomson told reporters (including Alex Coffey of The Philadelphia Inquirer) that the club was not yet sure how serious the issue is and that he’ll be evaluated further today.

The addition of Hays, who the club acquired from the Orioles ahead of the deadline in exchange for Seranthony Dominguez and Cristian Pache, added a right-handed bat to the club’s outfield corps who could mix and match with Brandon Marsh and Johan Rojas in left and center field. The 28-year-old is hitting a roughly league-average .256/.310/.395 in 73 games between Baltimore and Philadelphia this year, and if he misses time his absence will likely open the door for Weston Wilson to get additional playing time going forward.