Jacob de Grom hit a notable checkpoint in his recovery from injury today when the meads ace threw a 19-pitch bullpen session. GM Billy Eppler told reporters (including MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo) that deGrom only threw “moderate intensity” fastballs and that deGrom will continue to build his arm strength and willingness with more bullpen sessions in the coming days.
Between the planned schedule of those bullpens, live batting practice and 3-5 rehab starts in the minors, deGrom is expected to make his season debut in July. That schedule is still fluid, of course, considering today’s bullpen session marked the very first time since March that deGrom has even been thrown off a hill. Between a forearm problem that ended his 2021 season early and a stress reaction in his right shoulder during spring training, deGrom has not played a major league game since July 7, 2021.
More on other baseball injury situations…
- Max Muncy and Andrew Heney began rehab assignments with the dodgers‘ Triple-A affiliate, with both veterans in today’s starting lineup. Muncy was only played in the 10-day IL on May 28 and given that he has been playing with a partial UCL tear since last October it’s a very promising sign to see him already in a rehab spell, though If not, know how many games Muncy will play in Triple-A. Heaney will likely get multiple rehab starts considering he’s been on the injured list longer as shoulder problems impacted the left-hander on March 20.
- Jack Flaherty is also ready to start his own rehab assignment since the cardinals Right-hander is scheduled to serve for Double-A Springfield on Sunday. card manager Oliver Marble John Denton of MLB.com and other reporters said that Flaherty will pitch 40-45 pitches and, depending on his status after that outing, will pitch either 40-45 pitches or 55-60 pitches at his next rehab start. Shoulder problems have plagued Flaherty each of the last two seasons and he is yet to serve in 2022 due to an infection in his right shoulder during spring training.
- In other St. Louis injury news, Corey Dickerson made an early exit from the first game of the cardinals‘ Doubleheader with the Cubs. Dickerson was substituted in right field before the end of the second inning due to a left calf ailment, and it’s not clear if the injury was caused by anything in the game, as Dickerson had one more play to go on the field or take a bat . After signing a one-year, $5 million free agent deal with St. Louis in March, Dickerson has netted just .194/.245/.286 in his first 106 plate appearances despite coming off his best game of the season — Dickerson scoring hit his first two home runs of 2022 in the Cardinals’ 14-5 win over the Cubs on Friday.