Jacob deGrom’s Shoulder Injury

On August 2nd, Jacob deGrom made his first start for the Mets in over a year due to a stress reaction injury in his right scapula that had him sidelined since spring training. Continue reading to learn about deGrom’s road to return while working with Mets shoulder doctor, Dr. David Altchek.

deGrom is currently known as the best pitcher in baseball, winning back-to-back Cy Young awards in 2018 and 2019. In 15 starts during the 2021 season, he logged a 1.08 ERA and, in 92 innings, struck out 146 batters and walked only 11.

Jacob deGrom has a history of multiple injuries, along with many other pitchers, due to repetitive throwing motion. deGrom suffered a forearm injury in the 2021 season, which had him out until spring training of this season. deGrom believes the forearm injury was caused by having to reposition his arm into an MRI tube and raise it for an hour at a time, which he thinks made it much worse than it was.

The forearm injury kept deGrom out until spring training of 2022. During spring training, he experienced tightness in his shoulder while having a catch and had an MRI performed on his shoulder by Mets shoulder doctor. The MRI revealed a stress reaction to his right scapula, which meant he was going to miss significant time. This injury is rare for the shoulders of pitchers but occurs from repetitive overhead motion. The scapula is a triangular-shaped bone located in the upper back area and is a key bone for pitchers. The scapula is covered by many muscles, which allows it to move smoothly and have strength. A stress reaction is different from a stress fracture as it isn’t as severe but still damages the scapula. We know that nobody wants to suffer from this injury, but thankfully, its primary treatment is just rest, and it rarely requires surgery. A successful return from a scapular stress reaction depends upon safely returning to play, doing so without obtaining continued damage to the scapula that often can make the injury worse. 

Mets shoulder doctor, David Altchek, performed more MRIs that showed his shoulder was healing, which led to him being able to have a catch on flat ground and progressed to throwing bullpens again. deGrom eventually made rehab starts for the St. Lucie Mets in Florida. deGrom made a rehab start on July 3rd, which was his first one before the injury was discovered this past March during spring training. deGrom was dominant during his first rehab start, as he struck out five of the six batters faced and hit 100 mph on the radar gun six times in the outing. After making a few more rehab starts, deGrom was scheduled to throw a simulated game and return when the Mets played the Padres or Yankees after the All-Star Game. But deGrom’s return had to be pushed back due to him experiencing muscle soreness surrounding his shoulder. deGrom felt fine while having a catch, but the Mets pushed back his simulated game to be cautious. deGrom didn’t enjoy the rehab process as he had to take a large amount of time off and slowly work his way back, but he was excited to be close to returning.

For the first time in over 13 months, Jacob deGrom made his first regular-season start against the Nationals. During the start, deGrom looked just like the outstanding pitcher he was before being sidelined. He struck out six batters and allowed one run on just three hits before being pulled in the 5th inning to be cautious. While it had seemed like the Nationals were going to lose with a depleted lineup after trading star outfielder Juan Soto at the deadline, the Mets bullpen wasn’t able to secure the win. Allowing four runs in relief for deGrom, the Mets lost 5-1. deGrom would’ve liked to win the game, but being healthy and on the field again is a huge step in the right direction for him and the NL East-leading Mets.

Contact Us: Mets Shoulder Doctor

Shoulder injuries shouldn’t go untreated. If you find yourself injured, our team at Dr. David Altchek’s office is here to help. Dr. Altchek, Mets shoulder doctor, has outstanding expertise in treating shoulder injuries and has worked with a number of pro athletes. To learn more about how our team can assist you, be sure to contact us today.