Mets’ deGrom gets clean MRI on shoulder

NEW YORK » The New York Mets relaxed after a night of worry: a scan of ace Jacob deGrom’s shoulder showed no abnormalities.

DeGrom left his second straight start with an arm injury, coming out after three perfect innings against the Cubs on Wednesday with right shoulder soreness. He had an MRI on Thursday that was reviewed by Mets medical director David Altchek and Dodgers head team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache.

“We had an MRI taken on him and ran it through two doctors just to have a second opinion, as well, and both doctors had the same prognosis from the imaging. So it just shows as a normal shoulder that a pitcher would have and there’s no concern,” Mets manager Luis Rojas said.

Rojas said deGrom played catch Thursday. Still, the NL East leaders aren’t yet ready to commit to him taking his next turn in the rotation.

“We’re just going to take it day by day,” Rojas said. “We’re not thinking of an IL stint or to do anything.”

DeGrom, a right-hander who turns 33 on Saturday, is 6-2 with a 0.54 ERA and 111 strikeouts and eight walks in 67 innings.

Rojas said there is a chance batting is causing the issues for deGrom, who hits left-handed.

“There’s different things that you can think where this might happen. It could be during his at-bat. It could be maybe one pitch that he felt something,” Rojas said. “It could be anywhere. And I think we had the same conversation when he had the lat that was eventually his lower back, as well, that it could have been in any one of his at-bats, in one of the swings.”

deGrom is batting .423 with six RBIs this season. Rojas said the Mets have told some pitchers in the past not to swing to prevent injuries.

Bregman placed on IL list

HOUSTON » Houston third baseman Alex Bregman was placed on the 10day injured list with a strained left quadriceps.

Bregman was injured in the first inning of a win against Texas on Wednesday while running to first base when he grounded into a double play. He pulled up a few steps before first base and hobbled off the field after the play before heading to the clubhouse.

Astros manager Dusty Baker said there isn’t currently a timetable for

his return.

COVID restrictions loosened

NEW YORK » All fully vaccinated players and staff can stop wearing masks in dugouts, bullpens and clubhouses under the latest change to Major League Baseball’s coronavirus protocols.

In addition, fully vaccinated players and staff may eat in restaurants without restrictions and attend sporting events as spectators at venues with government approved safety protocols, the commissioner’s office and players’ association said in a memo sent Wednesday night.

Social distancing and mask requirements have been eliminated for team busses involving fully vaccinated players and staff, and players and staff can resume arriving at clubhouses more than five hours before game time.

Yankees trade Ford to Rays

NEW YORK » First baseman Mike Ford was traded by the Yankees to the Tampa Bay Rays for $100,000 and a player to be named.

Ford was designated for assignment Saturday when reliever Zack Britton was activated from the injured list.