Mets ace Jacob deGrom will pitch on Sunday, just not at Yankee Stadium.
Manager Luis Rojas announced on Friday that while deGrom is still responding well to the treatment on his back, the Mets will have him stay behind and pitch in a sim game at Citi Field on Sunday rather than facing the Yankees.
The reason is simple: The Mets want to be able to better control deGrom’s pitch count on Sunday as he continues to ramp up towards a potential Opening Day Start on July 23. That pitch count will be easier to control in a sim game experience rather than facing another team in a live exhibition game.
“We want him to reach that pith count, especially after going that one inning when he was pulled out,” Rojas explained. “Him going to that sim game will help him reach that mark, rather than being in a game when you make pitching changes, get pulled out, things can happen.
“Right now, we’re hoping for that on Sunday and hoping for Opening Day as well.”
Rojas explained that deGrom is still responding well to the treatment he’s been receiving from the performance staff. After throwing 17 pitches in a bullpen session on Friday, the Mets are hoping that deGrom can be around the 50-60 pitch mark on Sunday.
The two-time Cy Young winner received an MRI on his back following just one inning of work in Tuesday’s sim game. After speculating that he may have just slept wrong the night before, deGrom said on Thursday that his goal is to be able to be around the 85-pitch mark for Opening Day.
“Tuesday when I went to throw, it was just pretty tight. So I decided to say something out of an abundance of caution, to stay healthy," deGrom said. "Wasn't really planning of getting an image of it, but just said 'hey let's go ahead and make sure everything is fine.' Checked all the boxes. The plan is to pitch Opening Day."
As for the two exhibition games against the Yankees this week, Rojas announced that Rick Porcello will start on Saturday, and that Corey Oswalt will start in deGrom’s place on Sunday.