Mets' Jacob deGrom Shutdown For Two More Weeks Putting His Return In Jeopardy

The Mets got bad news on their ace Jacob deGrom (right elbow inflammation), who will be shutdown from throwing for an additional two weeks, before receiving another MRI.

According to manager Luis Rojas, deGrom traveled out to Los Angeles to see Doctor Neal ElAttrache for an additional opinion on his elbow. And while ElAttrache, who is one of the highest regarded elbow/sports surgeons in the country, saw some improvement in the elbow, he ultimately recommended that the right-hander rest for another two weeks, before getting imaging done again.

"He's frustrated. He wants to pitch. He wants to help the team," said Rojas prior to the Mets' three-game series with the Dodgers at Citi Field. "There's nothing he can do. We just have to commit to these two weeks again now and just follow the experts indications and the treatment so he keeps improving there."

"There is some improvement, but they would like to see more, probably," Rojas said. "That's why the two weeks. And then see the imaging again, see the MRI, and then see if he can start throwing or not."

Rojas also made it clear that the latest round of imaging only showed inflammation and no structural damage. But for now, the team will have to continue to trudge on without their best pitcher in a tight division race.

“Guys are ready in there," said Rojas. "Even after hearing this news and Jake telling everyone in the clubhouse what he heard from the doctors, I don’t think that’s going to put the guys’ heads down."

"Guys are going to move forward, the same way they’ve done in the past. We’re just going to go ahead and get ready. We have this very important series to start tonight against a really good team like the Dodgers. The guys are not thinking about any other thing than that right now.”

DeGrom has not pitched since July 7 and has been on the IL since July 18 with what was initially diagnosed as right forearm tightness. However, after deGrom resumed throwing a few days after being placed on the IL, he was later shutdown on July 30 with what was discovered to be right elbow inflammation.

While the initial plan was for deGrom to cease from throwing until getting a second MRI on August 13, he will now have to wait an additional two weeks, before finding out if he can resume baseball activities. The hope is of course, that he can potentially make it back in time to pitch for the Mets again this season.

DeGrom's original timeline to return was set for early-September, but with this latest setback, his injury riddled campaign is now in jeopardy. The elbow inflammation is just the latest injury for the Mets' ace, who has dealt with six different ailments this season.

Starting tonight, there are 48 games left in the 2021 regular season. If deGrom improves enough in the next two weeks to be able to start ramping up towards a return, it could put his timeline to rejoin the team around mid-to-late September. Instead of having deGrom for the entire final month of the season, where the Mets will likely still be battling it out for the NL East division title, the best case scenario at this point, might only be getting him back for the final week-or-two instead.

When asked if he believes the Mets have enough to win their division without deGrom, Rojas says he feels like they still have the talent to do so.

"Right now, we are playing without him and I feel like we have the talent to compete and win games," he said. "And I felt like that for the whole season, so I have to say the same thing. I can’t say about for the rest of the season. We don’t know that yet. Right now, Jake is now in another two week timeline, of finding out what he can do."

"We have a lot of talent on our roster and the guys work hard and trust in each other’s abilities and we have dealt with this the entire season so I don’t think that’s changing. And my thoughts of this group, they believe in each other and they show it every day out on the field. So I believe that we are going to win some games with this group of guys. Nothing is making us less or more right now because we have gone through this the whole season."

At the moment, deGrom's season has entered the danger zone with time running out on the schedule. And his probability to make it back this year took a big hit today.