Mets ace deGrom whiffs 5 of 6 batters in 1st rehab start

NEW YORK (AP) — New York Mets ace Jacob deGrom struck out five of the six batters he faced and threw 18 of 24 pitches for strikes Sunday night in his first minor league rehab start for Class A St. Lucie. The only hiccup for deGrom against the Jupiter Hammerheads in Port St. Lucie, Florida, came when he hit a batter with a pitch. It was the first competitive outing since spring training for deGrom, who has been sidelined all season because of a stress reaction in his right scapula that caused inflammation. The two-time Cy Young Award winner also missed the second half of last season with right forearm tightness and a sprained elbow. He hasn’t pitched in the majors since July 7, 2021.