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Mets allowing Jacob deGrom to pitch is not worth the risk

By Brad Berreman

NEW YORK, NY - MAY 02: Jacob deGrom #48 of the New York Mets walks off the field after the fourth inning against the Atlanta Braves on May 2, 2018 at Citi Field in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - MAY 02: Jacob deGrom #48 of the New York Mets walks off the field after the fourth inning against the Atlanta Braves on May 2, 2018 at Citi Field in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
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Jacob deGrom will make his next start despite suffering a hyperextended elbow last time out, but he won’t be swinging a bat.

New York Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom was pretty much cruising through his last start, striking out six Atlanta Braves while allowing two hits over four innings. But he suffered a hyperextended elbow while swinging during his lone at-bat in the game, and after pitching the top of the fourth inning, he did not return to the mound.

An MRI on deGrom’s elbow showed no structural damage, and after an initial report he would miss a month, he has been trending toward making his next start as scheduled Monday night against the Cincinnati Reds. After a bullpen session on Saturday, Mets’ manager Mickey Calloway confirmed deGrom will start that game.

Apparently, deGrom will be able to pitch without issue, as some pitchers have been able to with more severe elbow ailments. But according to John Healy of the New York Daily News, he will not be swinging a bat during any plate appearances Monday night and that suits Calloway just fine:

"If it were up to me they (pitchers) would never swing in BP or in the game. We don’t need their spot in the lineup to score runs… At this point I think he’s better off to go up there and just bunt and get guys over."

Among pitchers, deGrom is not dead-weight as a hitter. He’s hitting .143 so far this year (2-for-14), and he hit .211 with a home run and four RBI last year. But he’ll be rendered useless unless he’s up in a bunting situation, as the opposing pitcher will get three free strikes and a free out.

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It’s worth noting that deGrom may only be limited at the plate in that next start Monday night, with no restrictions after that. But he’s having a great year doing his primary job, with a 1.87 ERA, an 11.2 K/9 rate a 0.99 WHIP over seven starts (43.1 innings). So if he’s not considered functional enough to swing a bat, even with that being how he was injured, allowing him to pitch seems like a far bigger risk which is not worth taking.

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