The New York Mets actually hoped that two-time National League Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom would throw a bit *slower* during his first rehab appearance Sunday.
Alas, what's made deGrom great is also perhaps his achilles heel.
In 1 2/3 innings for the High-A St. Lucie Mets, deGrom struck out five batters and had seven pitches that registered at 100 mph or higher:
Speaking to Mike Puma of The New York Post, Mets' manager Buck Showalter acknowledged that the organization didn't necessarily want deGrom lighting up the radar gun to the degree that he did Sunday, but that even against the Jupiter Hammerheads, the four-time All-Star was likely ecstatic to be back on the mound in an actual game.
"It’s not because he is trying at max-effort torque, he’s just got a rested arm and I am sure he’s got a lot of positive emotion going," Showalter said of deGrom.
The Mets plan to bring deGrom back slowly from the stress reaction in his right scapula that has prevented him from pitching for the team so far in 2022. Anthony DiComo of MLB.com says that deGrom is likely to pitch again on Friday for St. Lucie.
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As they wait on the return of deGrom, the Mets will get three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer back from an oblique strain Tuesday evening against the Cincinnati Reds. Scherzer has a 2.54 ERA, 2.95 FIP and 1.2 fWAR across 49 2/3 innings for the Mets in 2022.
Even though they've been without two of the greatest starters in the last 25 years, the Mets are still 50-30 and at the top of the National League East.
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