Mets shut down pitcher deGrom amid latest injury setback

New York Mets ace Jacob deGrom has been shut down following another injury setback. 

The pitcher experienced tightness in his right forearm during a bullpen session Friday after having similar issues earlier in the week, and manager Luis Rojas said the team will not allow him to throw again until the issue has subsided. 

An MRI scan Saturday revealed no structural damage, but deGrom will not make his second-half debut Monday as scheduled. 

The 33-year-old has posted staggering numbers this season, going 7-2 with an MLB-best 1.08 ERA in 15 starts and striking out a remarkable 14.3 batters per nine innings while walking just 1.1 per nine. 

Amid performances like that, the only real struggle for deGrom has been staying on the field. He previously spent two weeks on the injured list with tightness in his side, and has departed starts early due to flexor tendinitis and shoulder soreness. 

Those concerns led to deGrom sitting out this week's All-Star Game in Colorado, but Rojas said the pitcher does not believe his current issue is related to his earlier troubles. 

Rojas discusses deGrom injury

“I talked to him and I asked him if there was a correlation, and he said no,” Rojas told reporters. “He said that this is different tightness.

"We'll find out more. ... They're going to do some more treatment and I don't know if they're going to do more tests after an MRI, but we should find out more about it, to see what it is and if it goes away.”

Losing deGrom for any significant length of time will be a blow to the Mets' chances of winning the National League (NL) East division. 

They have been in first place every day since May 8 but the Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves expect to make a push in the second half.

Atlanta already has made a trade to acquire outfielder Joc Pederson from the Chicago Cubs and they and the Phillies could make more moves before the July 31 trade deadline.