Tuesday is the MLB trade deadline, but no team is going to add a better pitcher than the Mets will tonight. Two-time NL Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom will finally return from the injured list to make his season debut. deGrom last pitched a big-league game on July 7, 2021, and is set at Over/Under 6.5 strikeouts at Caesars Sportsbook for this game – he'll be on a pitch count. New York is a monster favorite'at -320.
The 34-year-old right-hander was sidelined the final three months of last season with rig ht forearm tightness and a sprained elbow, then was shut down late in this year's spring training because of a stress reaction in his right scapula. He had a microscopic 1.08 ERA with 146 strikeouts and just 11 walks in 15 starts a year ago.
deGrom made four minor-league rehab starts totaling 12.2 innings and gave up five runs (four earned) and seven hits. He racked up 21 strikeouts and four walks, hitting 100 mph on the radar gun at times.'The expectation is he will be capped in the 80-pitch range against the Nationals.
In evaluating what caused the stress reaction, deGrom said ramping up too quickly in spring training may have been a factor. He still plans to opt out of his contract after this season, although that could change if he gets hurt again. He is owed $30.5 million for 2023.