Looking for a four-game sweep of the Marlins Thursday in NY, deGrom exited after the fifth inning after allowing three runs, four walks and a sagging velocity as he motioned for a team trainer.
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Despite seven days of rest between starts, concerns over New York Mets ace Jacob deGrom are growing as the right-hander failed to last more than five innings in his third consecutive start.
The major league leaders also moved a season-high 39 games over.500 and 15 1/2 games ahead of the Cardinals in the NL Central – their largest lead in the standings since the 1907 team finished 17 games ahead of Pittsburgh, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
An MRI came back negative and there is no structural damage, the Mets said. He’s lost each of his last three starts while not lasting longer than five innings and allowing at least three earned runs in all of those starts.
The Marlins salvaged the rubber game of a four-game set against deGrom and the Mets with a 6-4 victory at Citi Field Thursday night.
After exiting the game, he motioned for trainer Ray Ramirez, who followed him into the clubhouse. The 31-year-old joins the team with four saves and a 2.93 ERA (5 ER/15.1 IP) in 17 games since the All-Star Game, but an overall record of 3-6 with six saves and a 4.47 ERA (28 ER/56.1 IP) in 58 games this season. “I have nothing to say at this time about Jake”.
The Mets are only two games out of the second Wild Card and their schedule is incredibly easy the rest of the way, but roadblocks keep getting thrown in their way.
The Mets later loaded the bases with no outs that inning, but Michael Conforto hit into a double play and Cespedes struck out to end the rally.
Though the Mets have adjusted to a shifting roster, Walker’s absence leaves “a big piece missing”, Collins said. Yoenis Cespedes and Asdrubal Cabrera are nursing a quad and knee respectively.
Said Collins: “I sure hope we get the opportunity to get him back”.
All the injuries have fed into the theory, thoroughly embraced by both Terry Collins and pitching coach Dan Warthen, that the 2015 World Series run took a toll on the young arms. They have played 24 consecutive games decided by no more than three runs.
Urena allowed four hits, including Jay Bruce’s 29th homer, and one run in six innings.
Marlins: All-Star OF Marcell Ozuna was out of the lineup, a day after hurting his left wrist trying to make a diving catch and leaving the game. The most devastating of late was Neil Walker’s announcement Thursday that will undergo season-ending surgery to correct a herniated disk in his back.
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OF Destin Hood was among the Marlins’ newcomers.
