New York Mets' Jacob deGrom says injured shoulder feels 'completely normal'

NEW YORK — Mets ace Jacob deGrom says his injured right shoulder blade feels «completely normal,» and he's waiting for New York's medical staff to clear him to resume throwing off a mound.

DeGrom has been sidelined since late in spring training with a stress reaction in his scapula. The two-time National League Cy Young Award winner played catch Friday out to 135 feet, but he's still not sure when he'll throw his first bullpen or be ready for game action.

«I feel completely normal,» he said Saturday prior to New York's game against Philadelphia. «So I think that's where it's going to be like, do we push it? Do we not? That'll be the discussion over the next few days, and when we get on the mound, what is the safest way to go about this?»

The 33-year-old deGrom says he believes the stress reaction occurred because spring training was delayed and shortened to four weeks following baseball's 99-day lockout. DeGrom also missed the second half of the 2021 season because of an elbow injury, compounding the strain on his body to prepare quickly for 2022.

«When I look at it, you got a short ramp-up and you haven't pitched competitively in, what, eight months?» he said. «So I felt like that's probably what did it for me.»

DeGrom said his shoulder felt normal with a couple weeks of rest. He's had several rounds of MRIs, and his most recent imaging showed full healing in the shoulder blade. He doesn't anticipate needing another MRI but says he's leaving that decision up to the Mets' medical team.

He says he doesn't have trepidation about aggravating the stress reaction.

«You know, normally, bone heals stronger,» he said. «The last report was good, and they said it was completely healed. So now, just making sure it handles the