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Jacob deGrom

NL Injury Notes: Lamet, deGrom, McNeil, Sims, Bote

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The Padres are planning for an early August return to the hill for Dinelson Lamet, though he’s likeliest to come back in the bullpen, per Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Said Lamet about a possible role change, “At the end of the day, the rotation is some place I want to get back to, but I’m here to help the team. I’m here to help the team win. So, if that’s what my role is right now and that’s what I need to do to help, of course I’m going to do it.” Lamet’s primary concern is being available for the playoffs, where he could prove a vital weapon as a multi-inning shutdown reliever.

  • Jacob deGrom threw off a mound, and he’s feeling good, per MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo (via Twitter). deGrom was placed on the injured list with forearm tightness, one of many seemingly minor maladies that have derailed his epic campaign at various points this season. There’s not yet an exact timetable for his return.
  • In other Mets’ news, Jeff McNeil will miss his third consecutive game with left leg fatigue, though he will be available off the bench, which is better than the previous two days, per Tim Healey of Newsday (via Twitter). The Mets hope that McNeil will be back in the lineup tomorrow.
  • Lucas Sims will head to Triple-A on Tuesday to begin a rehab assignment, per Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer (via Twitter). Sims has seven saves, but just a 5.02 ERA in 28 appearances.
  • The Cubs have activated David Bote from the injured list and optioned Trevor Megill to Triple-A, per Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune (via Twitter). Bote started today’s game at third base, pushing Patrick Wisdom to left.

Mets’ GM: Starting Pitching “Top Priority” Before Trade Deadline

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Bolstering the starting rotation is the “top priority” for the Mets in advance of the July 30 trade deadline, acting general manager Zack Scott told Jon Heyman and Cody Decker on today’s Big Time Baseball podcast. Scott also suggested the Mets — like almost all contenders — will be on the lookout for bullpen help over the next week and a half.

New York’s rotation has been one of the league’s better units, but that’s largely thanks to the top three of Jacob deGrom, Marcus Stroman and Taijuan Walker. Bolstering the back end was likely a priority even before deGrom landed on the injured list with forearm tightness over the weekend. Scott noted there’s no structural damage and the team is optimistic about deGrom’s prognosis, but the star hurler’s timetable remains uncertain so long as he continues to feel discomfort.

Fourth starter David Peterson is also on the IL, as are depth options Joey Lucchesi and Jordan Yamamoto. Carlos Carrasco hasn’t pitched all season on account of various injuries. Carrasco is currently on a rehab assignment and nearing his team debut, but it might be difficult to count on him to shoulder too significant a workload down the stretch given his recent series of health problems.

Those injuries have led the Mets to turn to Tylor Megill (who’s performed well over his first five starts) and a revolving door of depth players at the back of the rotation. Adding a steadying, innings-eating presence to that group makes plenty of sense for president Sandy Alderson, Scott, and the rest of the front office.

Unsurprisingly, Scott didn’t tip his hand as to which specific targets the Mets were interested in acquiring. Merrill Kelly (Diamondbacks), Michael Pineda (Twins), Jon Gray (Rockies) and Tyler Anderson (Pirates) are among the mid-tier starting pitchers who could be on the move before the deadline. The Mets sent scouts to see Kelly’s last start before the All-Star Break, writes Andy Martino of SNY, although it’s not clear whether that was anything more than standard diligence. (The Mets have been linked to Kelly’s teammate Asdrúbal Cabrera, and it’s certainly possible New York has interest in other veteran players on the Arizona roster). A non-Mets source tells Martino the D-Backs’ current asking price on Kelly is “high.”

As for the bullpen, it seems New York’s open to acquiring help in any possible form. Scott pushed back against the idea the team needed a pitcher with closing experience. Edwin Díaz has struggled recently, but Scott pointed to Díaz’s track record in expressing confidence in his ability to bounce back. Díaz’s peripherals are more impressive than his 4.30 ERA, so it’s hardly unreasonable to maintain faith in the righty’s ability to hold down leads moving forward.

Scott didn’t rule out the possibility of making an addition on the position player side, but it seems pitching’s at the forefront of attention. The acting GM pointed to the returns of a few key position players from the IL and expressed comfort with the general state of the offense. New York has been linked to Kris Bryant and Josh Donaldson in recent weeks, but the Mets did welcome back third baseman J.D. Davis from the injured list over the weekend.

At the same time, the Mets lost star shortstop Francisco Lindor to the IL and they’ve been leaning on Luis Guillorme at the position. Asked whether the club could explore a shortstop upgrade, Scott said that course of action was possible but would require any incoming player to be willing to move elsewhere around the diamond once Lindor returns. As for when that might happen, Scott noted that injuries similar to Lindor’s typically come with a four-to-six week timetable. If Lindor follows that schedule, he’d be looking at a late August return date.

The Mets lost tonight’s contest against the Reds, dropping them to 49-43. They hold a two-game lead over the Phillies in an increasingly jam-packed NL East.

Mets To Place Jacob deGrom On Injured List

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The Mets are placing Jacob deGrom on the injured list, manager Luis Rojas told reporters (including Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News) this morning. He continues to deal with forearm tightness and won’t throw until that subsides.

It’s not an unexpected development after deGrom’s throwing program was halted yesterday. Nevertheless, it’s still a tough blow to a Mets team that holds a meager 2.5 game lead in the National League East. The diagnosis of forearm tightness and seemingly uncertain recovery timeline are even more alarming, given deGrom’s status as the best pitcher in the league. (deGrom underwent a Tommy John surgery as a prospect back in 2010).

deGrom has dealt with a few health issues over the course of the season. He missed a couple weeks with side tightness earlier in the year, and he’s also been forced out of starts early with forearm and shoulder soreness. Neither of the previous arm problems required an IL stint, but his most recent injury will land him on the shelf.

When healthy, deGrom has been truly otherworldly. The two-time Cy Young award winner has worked to a 1.08 ERA across 92 innings. He has struck out an incredible 45.1% of opposing hitters, while walking just 3.4% of batters faced. A healthy second half would make him the prohibitive favorite to land a third Cy Young (and perhaps win the NL MVP award), but it’s now unclear when he’ll again take the mound.

Jacob deGrom Halts Throwing Due To Forearm Tightness

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Mets ace Jacob deGrom has been dealing with tightness in his right forearm and has been shut down until the discomfort subsides.  Manager Luis Rojas told Deesha Thosar of The New York Daily News (Twitter links), SNY’s Steve Gelbs, and other reporters that an MRI didn’t reveal any structural damage to deGrom’s forearm.

The problem existed prior the All-Star break, as Rojas said deGrom felt tightness while throwing a bullpen session last weekend.  The forearm tightness continued during a side session on Friday, so the Mets opted to halt deGrom’s throwing so further testing could be done.  No mention was made of the injured list, though an IL stint seems inevitable considering that the Mets will surely take every precaution in making sure deGrom is fully healthy.

DeGrom has already hit the IL once this season, missing two weeks due to tightness in his right side.  Despite that missed time and other nagging injuries, the right-hander is in the midst of his most spectacular season yet, with a record-challenging 1.08 ERA over 92 innings and a wealth of league-leading numbers in most major categories (14.3 K/9, 13.27 K/BB rate, 1.1 BB/9, and an absurd 365 ERA+).

Losing deGrom for any amount of time would be a major blow to a Mets team hanging onto first place in the NL East, and the specter of a long-term forearm injury would be nothing short of devastating.  DeGrom has a Tommy John surgery on his record, as he underwent the procedure just a few months after the Mets selected him in the ninth round of the 2010 draft.  The major surgery and a few other lesser arm problems over the years didn’t stop deGrom from becoming arguably the best pitcher of his generation, winning NL Cy Young Awards in 2018-19 and looking to be on track for a third this season.

There is no way to actually replace deGrom in the event of a longer-term absence, and the task will be even more difficult for a Mets team that was already looking to add some rotation help at the trade deadline.  The trio of deGrom, Marcus Stroman, and Taijuan Walker has been excellent, while the back end of the rotation has been a revolving door thanks to injuries and underperformance.  The team is hopeful that Carlos Carrasco will be able to make his Mets debut soon, and rookie Tylor Megill has started his career off with a 3.50 ERA in 18 innings, perhaps earning a longer look if New York can’t find a more experienced option on the trade market.

Mets Owner Steve Cohen Discusses Luxury Tax, deGrom, Stroman

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Mets owner Steve Cohen met with reporters (including Mike Puma of the New York Post and Anthony DiComo of MLB.com) yesterday to discuss the team’s outlook in advance of the July 30 trade deadline. Most notably, Cohen was asked whether he’d be willing to sign off on a midseason acquisition that pushes the team’s competitive balance tax outlay north of the first threshold of $210MM.

“It’s something to think about because there is a price to pay if you go over for the following year or the year after,” Cohen said. “I am not going to go over for a million or two million. That’s stupid, so if you are going to do it, you are going to do it, so we’ll see what’s available.”

Cohen is alluding to the escalating penalties for teams that surpass the threshold in consecutive seasons. Under the current collective bargaining agreement, a club that exceeds the lowest threshold for the first time is subject to a 20% tax on the overage. Exceeding that threshold for a second consecutive year subjects the team to a 30% tax on the overage, while the club would pay a 50% tax on excess expenditures for a third consecutive season (and beyond) above that mark.

To calculate a team’s CBT ledger, the league takes the sum of the average annual values of each contract on the books in a season- not the actual payroll in any given year. For the Mets, that figure comes in just under $197MM in 2021, in the estimation of Cot’s Baseball Contracts. (Cot’s pegs their actual payroll at approximately $195.4MM). If Cohen is unwilling to go beyond the first threshold, that’d leave New York a little more than $13MM in CBT space for midseason upgrades.

Cohen didn’t explicitly state he’d be unwilling to push the team’s CBT ledger north of $210MM. Rather, he implied that it’d take one (or more) marquee additions for him to deem that worthwhile, based on the belief that the cost of higher potential penalties in future seasons would outweigh the value of making more marginal upgrades. Of course, that assumes the current luxury tax system will remain in the next CBA, which is up for negotiation this winter. The Mets did not exceed the threshold last season under the previous ownership group, so they’d be subject to the first-time payor penalty if they were to do so this year.

New York’s owner also addressed the contractual status of starters Jacob deGrom and Marcus Stroman. Cohen confirmed the club engaged in preliminary extension discussions with deGrom in Spring Training. Those were never expected to persist into the summer, though, and Cohen indeed shot down the possibility of in-season negotiations. “I’m focused on this year,” he said. “I don’t think it’s the right moment (for extension talks). We’re focused on this year, so obviously it’s something we’re thinking about. We love Jacob.” deGrom is under contract through 2024, but his deal affords him the opportunity to opt out at the end of next season.

Cohen also suggested it was unlikely the Mets would discuss an extension with Stroman during the year. The 30-year-old returned to Queens on an $18.9MM qualifying offer over the winter, and he’s since worked to a stellar 2.34 ERA/3.66 SIERA across 84 2/3 innings. Stroman will hit free agency again next offseason, and the CBA prevents the Mets from tagging with a QO this time around.

NL East Notes: Mets, deGrom, McNeil, Nationals, Strasburg, Scherzer

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Jacob deGrom appears on target to make his regularly-scheduled start on Monday, per MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo (via Twitter). DeGrom threw his second bullpen session without incident. Though the Mets haven’t set anything in stone, the unofficial best pitcher on the planet should take the hill against the Braves two days from now.

Jeff McNeil is likely to join deGrom on the diamond on Monday, per Tim Healey of Newsday (via Twitter). McNeil has been out with a hamstring strain since May 16th. McNeil was hitting .242/.336/.374 when he went on the injured list. Though still six percent better than average with the bat, that’s a far cry from McNeil’s usual production. He owned a 139 wRC+ across 1,024 plate appearances coming into the season. In the other dugout today…

  • The Nationals have some updates on their own star hurlers. Stephen Strasburg was playing catch in the outfield today – a small, but positive step in the right direction. There remains no timetable for Strasburg’s return.
  • Max Scherzer, however, will throw a bullpen session later today and potentially return to the rotation on Tuesday in Philadelphia, per Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com (via Twitter). The Nats rotation has held up surprisingly well in Scherzer’s absence: They’ve posted a 0.78 team ERA since Scherzer exited his latest start after just two hitters. Should he remain on track and return Tuesday, however, he’ll no doubt provide a boost to the surging Nats, winners of five in a row.  [UPDATE: Scherzer told Zuckerman and other reporters that he is “all good” for Tuesday’s start.]
  • Two years ago on this date, Gerardo Parra walked to the plate to “Baby Shark” for the first time, sparking a trend that would enliven Nats fans for the entirety of their magical 2019 campaign. Parra might soon bring his act back to Washington, per Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post (Twitter notes). The 11-year veteran has a .222/.385/.333 line in 91 plate appearances for the Nats Triple-A club this season.

Mets Notes: Conforto, McNeil, Nimmo, Carrasco, deGrom

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The Mets have been ravaged by injuries this season, but it seems a few of the team’s most important players are making strides in their recoveries. Outfielder Michael Conforto and utilityman Jeff McNeil began rehab assignments with Triple-A Syracuse this week. Manager Luis Rojas tells reporters (including Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News) McNeil could rejoin the major league club in the next couple days, while Conforto could return to the big leagues next week. Center fielder Brandon Nimmo isn’t far behind those two, as he could embark on a rehab assignment of his own next week, per Rojas (via Tim Healey of Newsday). Fourth outfielder Albert Almora Jr. is expected back this weekend, having completed his own rehab stint with Syracuse, relays Anthony DiComo of MLB.com (Twitter link).

Conforto and McNeil each went down with hamstring strains on May 16, and both players will apparently return after slightly more than a month on the injured list. Nimmo suffered a left index finger injury in early May that proved more problematic than expected. Originally believed to be dealing with a nerve issue, Nimmo eventually found he’d suffered a ligament tear. Almora has missed just more than a month with a left shoulder contusion.

While the bulk of the Mets recent injury woes has been on the position player side, they’ve also been without key starter Carlos Carrasco all season. The veteran righty went down with a right hamstring strain in mid-March that has proven difficult from which to recover. Carrasco, though, has begun a throwing program off flat ground, per DiComo. There’s still hope he’ll be able to make his team debut at some point next month.

Of course, the Mets most recent injury scare came when NL Cy Young award favorite Jacob deGrom left Wednesday night’s start after three innings because of shoulder soreness. Follow-up testing revealed no issues, and deGrom was able to complete a ten-pitch bullpen session this afternoon, his customary between-starts routine. Rojas said the Mets will take their time in deciding whether deGrom will make his next scheduled start on Monday (via Thosar).

Initial Testing Reveals “No Issues” With Jacob deGrom’s Sore Shoulder

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3:14PM: Mets manager Luis Rojas told reporters (including Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com) that “We’re going to go day-by-day” with deGrom, and that an injured-list placement isn’t being planned.  “Had an MRI, ran it through two doctors. Both had the same prognosis,” Rojas said.

TODAY, 1:22PM: Follow-up testing on deGrom’s shoulder showed “no issues,” reports Jon Heyman of MLB Network (Twitter link). New York is sending the star right-hander for a second opinion to confirm the initial diagnoses, but today’s follow-up coming back clean is certainly a relief for the Mets and their fans.

JUNE 16, 9:30Pm: deGrom met with reporters (including Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News) after the game and downplayed the current issue. While he admitted he’s frustrated with the series of developments, deGrom suggested he didn’t believe the three health problems were related and, more importantly, sounded confident he’d avoided any serious injury. “I think it’s three separate issues. I think the lat was something to do with the swing. The elbow I didn’t think too much of, like I said I was pretty confident that that was nothing. And I’m pretty confident that this is nothing.” Manager Luis Rojas said deGrom’s prognosis will become clearer after he undergoes further testing tomorrow, but that the initial report was “encouraging” (via Tim Britton of the Athletic).

JUNE 16, 7:23 pm: Mets ace Jacob deGrom left this evening’s start after three innings due to right shoulder soreness, the team announced. Sean Reid-Foley replaced him to start the fourth frame.

It’s the second consecutive start in which deGrom has been forced out prematurely. Right flexor tendinitis knocked him out of his start last Friday. deGrom didn’t sound particularly concerned after that outing, and an intervening MRI came back clean. Nevertheless, it’s certainly alarming to see the game’s best pitcher removed early due to injury in back-to-back outings. deGrom also missed a couple weeks last month due to right side tightness, so he’s now dealt with side, forearm and shoulder issues this year.

As usual, deGrom was incredible tonight before he exited. He struck out eight of nine Cubs hitters across three perfect innings. The outing dropped his ERA to an unfathomable 0.54 in 67 innings on the year.

Injury Notes: deGrom, Mondesi, Kim, Rendon, Davidson, Means

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It’s the Year of the Injury, and this post will house many of the evening’s updates on that front.

  • Let’s start off with some good news for everyone except the Cubs: Mets ace Jacob deGrom is set to start tomorrow night.  DeGrom left his start Friday due to right flexor tendinitis, but the MRI came back clean.
  • Royals shortstop Adalberto Mondesi was reinstated from the IL, with reliever Ronald Bolanos going on it.  Mondesi, who strained his hamstring on May 31st, is active but not in tonight’s lineup.
  • Cardinals lefty Kwang Hyun Kim is also off the IL, and is starting tonight against the Marlins.  Kim had a brief IL stint for lower back soreness.
  • Angels manager Joe Maddon told reporters the injured list has been ruled out for third baseman Anthony Rendon, who’s recovering from a mild triceps strain.  Rendon has struggled at the plate this year, with a 90 wRC+ in 191 plate appearances.  By measure of OPS, his .679 mark is the worst single-season 45-game slump of Rendon’s career since his 2013 rookie season.
  • Luis Severino’s rehab start injury Saturday was described as a Grade 2 groin strain by Yankees manager Aaron Boone.  This will set him back about a month, leading to a possible late July/early August return.
  • Braves southpaw Tucker Davidson left tonight’s start after 53 pitches with left forearm tightness, according to the team.  Davidson entered the night unscored-upon in his last 11 2/3 innings, spanning a pair of starts.
  • Orioles ace John Means, pulled from a June 5th start in the first inning, began playing catch for the first time since the injury according to MLB.com’s Joe Trezza.  Means may be able to return by month’s end.  With a 2.28 ERA and a no-hitter on the season, the lefty seems a lock for the All-Star Game.

Mets Notes: deGrom, Nimmo, Conforto, McNeil, Carrasco

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Jacob deGrom left yesterday’s game with flexor tendonitis, per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com (via Twitter). Speaking after the game, deGrom continually stressed that though the concern was near his elbow, it wasn’t something that he was overly concerned about. He plans/hopes to make his next regularly scheduled start. Obviously, a healthy deGrom is crucial for the Mets’ title chances. They have a four-game lead for the division, thanks in large part to deGrom’s 0.56 ERA in 10 starts this season. The Mets have won 70 percent of deGrom’s starts this season versus 53 percent of games in which someone else takes the hill. In other Mets news…

  • Brandon Nimmo has a new understanding of the hand injury that’s kept him out of action since the first couple days of May. Nimmo received a new diagnosis of a small ligament tear near the base of his left index finger. He was thought to be dealing with a nerve issue. Nimmo previously had started a rehab assignment, but stopped it short after continued discomfort. While the diagnostic clarity is helpful, the new information doesn’t change the plan for Nimmo: He will continue to rest until the finger is healed, tweets Dicomo. A rehab assignment,however, could start as soon as next week.
  • Dicomo provides more position player updates: the Mets hope to have Jeff McNeil back next weekend and Michael Conforto the weekend after, per GM Zack Scott. The Mets have done well to stay atop the NL East while a good portion of their starting lineup has been out. McNeil’s flexibility would be particularly useful in covering for the numerous injuries the team has sustained this season.
  • Carlos Carrasco, meanwhile, received a PRP injection, which is why he has not been throwing of late, per Dicomo. Carrasco’s torn right hamstring has not been healing on schedule. Certainly, the Mets expected to get more from Carrasco this season. To have him healthy at the end of the season has to be the priority now, however, so there should be no rush in getting him back to the hill before he is 100 percent healthy. Carrasco isn’t likely to return to the rotation until after the All-Star break, per DiComo.
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