Suddenly, being out of first place by a half game isn’t atop the list of the Mets’ biggest worries.
Stud right-hander Jacob deGrom exited after four dominant, scoreless innings with a hyperextended right elbow and was sent for an MRI exam.
All members of the Mets community likely will exhale sometime Thursday when the results are revealed. DeGrom suffered the injury on a swing and miss while batting in the third inning.
“These things happen. We’re not quite sure what the deal is. We won’t have any information until tomorrow when they read the MRI,” manager Mickey Callaway said.
In related news concerning the Mets, the youthful Braves surged past them and into first place by a half game in the NL East with a 7-0 victory Wednesday at Citi Field. The Mets’ bullpen generally got battered and the offense completely got shut down with 18 batters going down in order from the second to the ninth innings.
“I don’t think we got deflated. We just didn’t hit the ball and they ended up outpitching us,” Callaway said.
And outhitting them. The Mets managed three hits, just two in seven innings against lefty starter and winner Sean Newcomb. The Braves matched the Mets’ hit total alone with home runs, a two-run shot by Ender Inciarte off loser Paul Sewald in the seventh, a two-run job by Johan Camargo in the eighth and a solo shot by Ryan Flaherty also in the eighth. The Camargo and Flaherty homers came back-to-back against Robert Gsellman.
But deGrom was first and foremost. While no timeline was given, Callaway admitted he immediately though of options should deGrom miss a turn. The manager mentioned Corey Oswalt first and then Matt Harvey.
“We have plenty of options,” Callaway said.
DeGrom had allowed just two hits and struck out six, including four straight at one point. He threw 46 pitches, 36 for strikes. He came out and pitched the fourth after his fateful swing. But after the fourth, when he surrendered his second hit, he came into the dugout and then exited through the tunnel to the clubhouse.
“He came in [after the at-bat] and said, ‘You know what, my arm hurts on that last swing so I’m just not going to swing the rest of the night. It feels fine throwing,’ ” Callaway said. “He didn’t have any issues throwing, so he went back out.”
For one inning. Get the blood pressure medication.
“I think everyone was curious. Obviously, it’s the last thing you want to see, one of our guys come out,” Jay Bruce said. “[He] really sets the tone for us and when you see him come out of the game, there’s concern and you just hope he’s fine.
“As professionals, it’s our job to continue on but with that being said, he’s one of our teammates. So there is concern and we just hope he’s fine.”
Bruce said “the worst thing you can do” is to speculate. So obviously, everyone began speculating.
“It wasn’t a result from mechanics or an actual pitch. Kind of gives you a glimmer of hope,” Callaway said.
Rotation injuries have plagued the Mets, seemingly since the dawn of recorded history. Steven Matz, Zack Wheeler, Harvey and deGrom all have undergone Tommy John surgery in the past. Noah Syndergaard missed the bulk of last season with a partial tear of the right lat.
Third baseman Todd Frazier noted he has suffered hyperextended elbows.
“I’ve done it numerous times. I’ve done it to both arms. I’ve done it three or four times this year already. It affects you for a day or two, but I’m not throwing 100 pitches too so I don’t know how it’s going to affect you on your next start,” Frazier said.
“I don’t know the extent of what happened to him, but whenever someone comes out of the game early, you hope and pray it’s just something little. We’ll see what happens [Thursday]. It takes energy out of you a little bit, but at the same time, we’re professionals and we gotta go out there and play.”