A day after the New York Mets placed ace Jacob deGrom on the injured list, he threw in the outfield and “felt completely normal,” he told reporters Saturday.
He played catch from 120 feet in the outfield at Busch Stadium in St. Louis and reported a positive outcome.
“After getting some treatment (Friday) and getting things moving around, I started feeling a little better,” deGrom said. “So I decided to throw today and actually felt good with how it went.”
He was scheduled to have an MRI exam on Monday, but that is up in the air, manager Mickey Callaway said. He still will meet with team medical director Dr. David Altchek in New York, who will make the decision about the MRI.
“I had a phone call with Dr. Altchek and he doesn’t seem concerned,” deGrom said.
DeGrom was placed on the injured list retroactive to April 16 and can be activated on Friday when the Milwaukee Brewers come to town.
The pitcher said he had strep throat last week and his illness got him out of his throwing routine and “when I don’t throw, it seems that things pop up.”
DeGrom, the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner, was roughed up badly in each of his past two starts to see his ERA soar to 3.68.
After allowing no runs and eight hits over 13 innings while winning his first two starts, deGrom allowed nine runs and 13 hits in nine innings over the past two. Most alarming was that he served up five total homers in the two setbacks.
The 30-year-old right-hander recently signed a five-year, $137.5 million extension.
DeGrom posted a spectacular 1.70 ERA and struck out 269 in 32 starts last season while winning the Cy Young Award despite having a 10-9 record.
