New York Mets ace Jacob deGrom was seen throwing in the outfield at Citi Field on Tuesday afternoon while his team is in San Francisco taking on the Giants — and now there is an official update to go with it.
Pitching coach Jeremy Hefner said that the two-time Cy Young Award winner has increased the distance in his long toss to 95 to 100 feet (h/t Deesha Thosar, Daily News). It’s possible that he could throw off a mound in a bullpen session this weekend.
It would be deGrom’s first time throwing off a hill since he was placed on the injured list — ultimately the 60-day IL — just before the start of the 2022 regular season due to a stress reaction in his right scapula.
Hefner’s remarks come shortly after MLB insider Jon Heyman reported on his podcast that the 33-year-old could return to action for the Mets sooner than an expected July timetable.
“deGrom, I finally heard a timetable. Somebody with the Mets told me late June,” he said. “To me, that seems optimistic. I’m looking at July… they felt June is a possibility for deGrom.”
It would be a spot of good news for a Mets team that has seen its pitching rotation mangled by injuries throughout the first two months of the season.
Along with deGrom’s absence, the Mets lost Max Scherzer for six-to-eight weeks after suffering a left oblique injury during Thursday’s win over the St. Louis Cardinals.
Tylor Megill, who had performed admirably in deGrom’s spot in the rotation, also hit the 15-day IL retroactive May 12 due to right biceps inflammation.
His rehab is believed to be a bit ahead of deGrom’s, per Thosar.
