NEW YORK — Mets right-hander Jacob deGrom was scratched from his scheduled start Sunday and is unlikely to pitch again this season because of an injury to the ulnar nerve in his right elbow.
DeGrom has been out since Sept. 1 after experiencing elbow pain in a start against Miami. He felt fine while throwing a bullpen Friday, then felt a twinge while tossing a baseball in from the outfield during batting practice about 15 minutes later.
“Just trying to lob it into the bucket,” deGrom said. “I guess throwing that bullpen had messed with that nerve. After I threw it, I was like, ‘OK, I have to go say something.’”
General manager Sandy Alderson announced deGrom’s prognosis Saturday. Hours later, the Mets gave away Jacob deGrom Hair Hats — Mets caps with brunette locks flowing out the back — to fans before a game against the Twins.
DeGrom will need surgery but the 2014 NL Rookie of the Year has not decided whether he will wait until the end of the season to have it. The recovery time for the surgery is expected to be three months.
DeGrom is 7-8 with a 3.04 ERA this season, including 0-3 with a 9.82 ERA in his final three starts. He said he began experiencing numbness in his right pinky and ring fingers about five or six starts ago and did not tell the team. He then felt pain in the game Sept. 1 and at that point notified the Mets.
“After the last one, I was like, ‘OK, something’s not right and I think we need to get this looked at,’” deGrom said.
An MRI showed no damage to deGrom’s ulnar collateral ligament — good news for the star righty, who already had Tommy John surgery in 2010. DeGrom said doctors told him it wasn’t unusual for Tommy John veterans to experience nerve issues caused by scar tissue buildup around the elbow.