Jacob deGrom not worried about decreased fastball velocity

Brynn Anderson/AP

Jacob deGrom had his fastball clocked between 91 and 93 miles per hour Monday.

PORT ST. LUCIE — Jacob deGrom seemed slightly annoyed. The Mets right-hander had just thrown four scoreless innings with five strikeouts, scattering four hits, and he was being asked if he was OK. While he was getting Marlins out with breaking balls and his off-speed pitches, his fastball was sitting about five miles per hour slower than it normally does during the season.

“Today was short rest. I don’t really know where my velocity was at, but I felt fine out there,” deGrom said Monday. “I think the swings and misses tell you the most. It doesn’t matter what that gun says.”

DeGrom’s fastball was clocked between 91 and 93 miles per hour Monday. His fastball usually sat between 95-97 last season, and he would dial it up to 98 on occasion.

“If a guy is late on a fastball then you are obviously doing something right. The object is to get outs, last time I checked,” he said. 

The concern around Tradition Field — which was not shared in the Mets clubhouse — shows how high the expectations are around the Mets rotation this season. With the Mets’ plans to return to the World Series built on the arms of four guys — three who’ve had Tommy John surgery and were pushed well beyond their maximum innings last season — there is sensitivity to any bump in the road.

While the Mets came into this year very aware that they needed to make sure deGrom, Matt Harvey, Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz are rested and ready for the season, Terry Collins said he had no concerns about deGrom’s velocity Monday.

“I don’t have any right now, I am glad he’s back out there, I really didn’t pay much attention to velocity,” the Mets manager said. “I’ll check to see if there is anyone concerned from the pitching side, but I didn’t have any. He was down in the zone, had a great changeup and threw some sliders, I thought he threw the ball good

“I think that everybody gets caught up because these guys are power pitchers,” Collins continued. “For some guys it takes a little longer than others to get it back.”

DeGrom has not had a smooth spring, probably adding to the questions.

He was held back earlier this spring with a tight groin issue and scratched from a Grapefruit League start in Lakeland because of a stiff back. One of three Tommy John “survivors in the rotation,” and is a pitcher who requires a lot of maintenance — massage, treatment, ice and heat — between starts. He had the giant therapy wrap on his shoulder and right forearm that he normally wears after starts when he adamantly said his arm and body felt “fine.”

“I feel good, feel good,” deGrom said with a trace of a laugh.

Monday was working in and out of situations and while his fastball may not have been lighting up the guns in the ballpark, it had movement and was effective.

“I have no idea how hard he was throwing,” catcher Kevin Plawecki said. “He had a good live fastball when he struck out (Marlins first baseman Justin) Bour, but I thought he had some good life on it and he made some pitches when he had to make them.”

The key word there is “season,” Collins said Monday after the game.

“As long as he is feeling good, his back is doing OK and there are no other issues, once the bell rings, he’ll be fine,” Collins said.

In three spring training starts, deGrom’s ERA is 0.90 and his biggest concern right now is when he will make his season debut because his wife is expecting their first child during the opening series in Kansas City.

On Monday, fastball velocity was the furthest thing from his mind.

“It’s spring training,” deGrom said dismissively, ” I am not worried about it at all.”

Baseball – NY Daily News

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