Mets' Jacob deGrom Headed For Followup MRI

Mets ace Jacob deGrom is headed for a followup MRI on his right scapula. Find out the details.

NEW YORK -- The Mets' rotation has gotten off to a historic start in the 2022 regular-season, but there's one key piece of the puzzle that's been missing.

Ace Jacob deGrom has been on the 10-day injured list to start the year after a stress reaction was discovered on his right scapula. DeGrom's diagnosis came on April 1, which resulted in the Mets' decision to shut him down from throwing for four weeks, before giving him a second MRI.

Now, three-and-a-half weeks later, deGrom will go for his followup MRI on Monday, April 25. 

"Everything is going really well," manager Buck Showalter said prior to the Mets' double header with the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday. "They're very happy about where he is right now......He's getting better."

If deGrom's latest imaging comes back clean, he could be cleared to begin throwing shortly thereafter. Once deGrom is cleared to start throwing again, it could potentially take him around a month to build up his arm for regular-season game action.

The two-time Cy Young Award winner's 2021 campaign ended after just 15 starts due to a UCL sprain/slight tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. DeGrom returned to the Mets in spring training, throwing a total of five shutout innings across two starts in Grapefruit League play. 

When deGrom returns, he and future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer have the potential to form one of the best 1-2 punches of all-time atop the Mets' rotation. But for now, this unit is getting by without their No. 1 starter, posting a league-leading 1.07 ERA in their first 10 games, which is the best start for any rotation since the earned run became a statistic in 1913. 

Walker To Make Rehab Start

In addition to deGrom, the Mets are missing another starter in Taijuan Walker, who landed on the IL with right shoulder bursitis on April 11. 

Luckily, Walker appears to be inching towards rejoining the team. Walker will make a rehab start on Wednesday as part of extended spring training in Port St. Lucie, before meeting the team in Arizona for the first series of their road trip, as manager Buck Showalter said. 

According to Showalter, the Mets are not committed to making Walker throw an additional rehab start, before being activated from the IL. 

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