Mets leaning toward shutting Jacob deGrom down for season?

The stumbling New York Mets are below .500 for the first time since May, and it sounds like they might not be getting their ace pitcher back in 2021.

According to Pat Ragazzo of FanNation, the Mets are leaning toward shutting pitcher Jacob deGrom down for the rest of the season over his lingering elbow inflammation. deGrom, who has been shut down since July 30, is not expected to be able to resume throwing by the end of August, making a return unlikely. With the team’s playoff hopes slipping away, the Mets also feel less urgency to bring deGrom back before the end of the season.

It’s a sensible position for the Mets to take. Based on the most recent update from the team, deGrom’s season was already in jeopardy. Add in the team’s 4-12 record so far in August and the fading playoff hopes and there’s little to be gained from rushing deGrom back. The 33-year-old is under team control through 2024, and they’ll want him as healthy as possible for the duration of that contract.

If deGrom’s season is finished, he’ll end it with a 1.08 ERA in 15 starts, a remarkable number in any context. It’s just a shame he wasn’t able to stay healthy enough to finish the season to see how low that mark could have remained.