AMAZIN' deBUT
Jacob brings 98-mph heat in first outing of spring
PORT ST. LUCIE — Jacob de-Grom battered the strike zone with high-octane fastballs Sunday, looking every bit ready to spring ahead.
After waiting an extra two weeks for his Grapefruit League debut, following a brief bout with lower-back stiffness, the Mets right-hander threw 47 pitches over 2 2/3 innings against the Astros to mixed results, but at least can say he has formally joined the rotation.
“I feel healthy, that was the main thing,” deGrom said. “I felt good, so I will be back out there in five days.”
Though the Mets can push deGrom for a potential Opening Day start on March 29 at Citi Field, all indications are the ceremonial honor will be given to Noah Syndergaard, allowing deGrom extra time to prepare. More likely is the possibility deGrom would be slotted in for the second game, which follows a scheduled off day.
DeGrom incurred back stiffness after returning from paternity leave last month and was placed on a slower workout track just to be safe. Last week he threw a two-inning simu- lated game as a final tune-up before his exhibition debut.
The back stiffness, according to deGrom, disappeared three weeks ago.
“All that was precautionary, to be smart, to make sure it was nothing,” deGrom said. “Everything is fine and you keep going from here.
“I don’t feel like I am that far behind. What are other guys starting to throw, four innings? I feel like I am pretty close, so now the goal is to make every start here from herein out to the end of the season.”
Peaking at 98 mph, deGrom struck out the side in the first inning. But the second inning was more problematic for the right-hander, who walked Evan Gattis in between singles to Marwin Gonzalez and A.J. Reed. Two of those runners scored.
“I tried to make a couple of mechanical adjustments, good first inning — I definitely had a lot of adrenaline,” deGrom said. “And the second inning I started getting a little quick to home plate, especially out of the stretch, so I had a little bit harder time locating, but it’s a work in progress.”
DeGrom cited the fact he was working from the stretch for the first time this spring as a reason he might have been rusty in the second inning.
“I throw live BP, nobody was running and threw a simulated game and nobody was running,” deGrom said. “You are working on stuff there and I was getting a little quick, but that will be a work in progress, just getting back to where I need to be out of the stretch.”
DeGrom was a model of durability in the beleaguered Mets rotation last season, when he made 31 starts and pitched a career high 201 ¹ /3 innings. Unlike many of the Mets pitchers, he has nothing to prove this spring, his job secure as man- ager Mickey Callaway tries to formulate a rotation behind his dynamic duo of Syndergaard and deGrom.
“We know who Jacob deGrom is,” Callaway said.
As much as deGrom would like to get the ball for Opening Day, he also realizes it makes little sense to force the issue. As it stands, the Mets would like him to make three more starts, which would push him to the final day of spring training. He could then conceivably pitch Game 2 of the regular season.
“I haven’t thought about it, really,” deGrom said. “The goal was to get in a game here first and go from there. That will be a discussion between Mickey, Dave [Eiland] and probably myself and we don’t want to do anything dumb and push it. Today was a big step, what did I throw almost 50 pitches? But everything went fine.”