PORT ST. LUCIE — Jacob deGrom didn’t need the crowd or the names on the back of the hitters’ jerseys. The Mets righthander was just about getting his work done Wednesday in a nearly empty First Data Field. DeGrom threw 88 pitches against the Mets’ minor leaguers — including one at-bat against Tim Tebow.
“A setting like this is tough,” Mets manager Mickey Callaway said. “You are looking to see if guys are locked in and taking it seriously. Trying to get yourself pumped up for a situation like this is tough, but they did a really good job.”
Callaway said they were looking to push deGrom’s pitch count up, see him pitch a little tired and see how he would respond. Tebow was the last batter he faced and deGrom dropped a nasty curveball on him for a strikeout.
“I felt good. I think today, the main goal was to get the pitch count and be on five days going into the season,” deGrom said. “Everything felt good, so next one think is Monday, which I think is light, and get ready to pitch.”
DeGrom will pitch in the Mets scrimmage against the Triple-A team on Monday before the team breaks camp. He is then scheduled to pitch the second game of the season, Saturday afternoon at Citi Field against the Cardinals.
DeGrom suffered a slight setback this spring when he felt tightness in his back. That came in his first throwing session back from a three-day leave for the birth of his daughter. Since that day, he has felt nothing with his back and has progressed quickly. Wednesday he worked on his offspeed pitches.
“I have been getting around on my slider a little bit, so I was just trying to stay behind it, work on changeup and curveball, fastball in and out. Just getting some work in,” deGrom said.
The curveball was particularly sharp.
“It was good, last start curve was really good,” deGrom said. “Getting everything in line. Trying to stay smooth and locate.”
NO TIPPING PITCHERS
Because the Mets have an odd spring training schedule that includes seeing the Cardinals three times in the last week and then opening the regular season against them, they are holding back Noah Syndergaard from the Grapefruit League game on Saturday. The big right-hander, who is scheduled to start Opening Day against the Red Birds at Citi Field, will make his last spring start in a minor league game in Port St. Lucie Saturday.
Friday, the Mets will start Rafael Montero, who is battling just to hold onto a roster spot at this point, against the Cardinals.
Steven Matz will start the Grapefruit League finale against the Nationals.
FACING THE FUTURE
Michael Conforto has seen the Mets’ top pick from the 2017 draft, David Peterson, twice now and has been impressed. Well, he has been as impressed as a former Oregon State star can be with a University of Oregon alum.
“We’ve talked a few times. I told him his sinker looks good. He’s just gotta put that thing closer to the ground, can’t hang it up there,” said Conforto, who sent a slider over the fence off Peterson. “He was good. A couple guys saying he looks like he’s gonna be good.
“I can’t really say ‘Go Ducks,’ but maybe ‘Go Mets.'”
Callaway saw the potential in the big lefthander.
“He looked good. I think that tall lefty with good stuff. He had some run on his ball, which is good to see. It had some life,” Callaway said. “He looked composed out there. He was under control for as big of a guy he is. I think that if I were a pitching coach, analyzing what he is doing, I’d like to see him use his lower half a little bit better. He’s probably got something in the tank he’s not using.
“But really impressive young guy.”
