RHP Jacob deGrom
Jacob deGrom’s season didn’t end the way him or the Mets organization were hoping for. His season would come to a sudden end when it was announced that the 2015 All-Star would need surgery to repair an issue with the ulnar nerve in his pitching elbow.While Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said it would not be a long term problem, the Mets still should proceed cautiously.
Even though his offseason surgery was a success and he’s on pace to be ready for Spring Training, here’s a layout of how manager Terry Collins can make sure they have their star pitcher for the entire 2017 season, and possibly even beyond.
deGrom shouldn’t throw more than 25 pitches in each of his Spring Training starts, using every outing as a small tune up to help build confidence and command heading into the regular season.
Once the calendar flips to April, the Mets should not limit his innings, but deGrom should skip a start every now and then just to give him a breather and keep his arm fresh. This should allow him to pitch a whole season healthy and be ready for the postseason if the Mets complete their believed manifest destiny.
