Jacob deGrom Out Four Weeks Right Shoulder Injury

 Jacob deGrom's 2022 season begins the same way his 2021 season ended, on the injury list. 

So it goes for the New York Mets as they embark on what was supposed to be a 2022 season that everyone was looking forward to. A year that had great expectations. 

Instead, the Mets will be without their ace Jacob deGrom for at least a month after an MRI to his shoulder revealed a stress reaction to his right scapula.  Jeff Passan reported that deGrom would miss "significant time." The Mets issued a statement it would be four weeks. 

Regardless this is a huge blow for the Mets. 

The Mets were hoping to feature a rotation with deGrom and former Nationals ace Max Scherzer at the top of the rotation, giving New York what many considered the best starting rotation in baseball, if not, certainly the best 1-2 punch in the game. 

Now Scherzer will be the one getting the ball on Opening Day next Thursday in his old digs at Nationals Park. While the Mets rotation is still very good with Chris Bassit, Taijuan Walker and Carlos Carrasco behind Scherzer, it would have looked a lot different with the 33-year old, two-time Cy Young Award winner at the top of it. 

There has to be some grave concern about deGrom's future. He has suffered a number of ailments the past two seasons including, neck, back, shoulder, forearm, and elbow injuries. Last year, his forearm issues prevented him from pitching during the second half of last season.  

After a number of MRI's revealed that there was no serious damage except a forearm strain. However in July, Sandy Alderson revealed that there inflammation around the UCL, or a partial tear of the ligament. It wasn't enough to warrant Tommy John Surgery, a procedure deGrom has already had once in his career. 

Instead the Mets let it heal, and deGrom didn't pitch again last year. 

 

Now he has a shoulder problem. The scapula is the shoulder blade. According to ESPN stress reactions are heeled through rest. ESPN also referenced that former Met Michael Wacha, when he was with the Cardinals in 2014, had a similar injury and was out for a little over two months. 

If injuries continue to be a problem for deGrom, one has to wonder how much longer he can keep going as one of the better pitchers in the sport. Plus this is a walk-year for deGrom, pitching and pitching well in 2022 matters to him, and the Mets. 

New York wants to make a decision on whether to invest big money in deGrom who will be 34 going on 35 in 2023. The injuries, if they continue to derail his seasons, will push the Mets toward a choice they don't want to make.