Mets' Sandy Alderson on Jacob deGrom's Elbow Injury: His UCL 'Is Perfectly Intact'

New York Mets right-handed pitcher Jacob deGrom's UCL is "perfectly intact at this point," per team president Sandy Alderson.

Tim Healey of Newsday relayed Alderson's update on deGrom, who went 7-2 with 146 strikeouts and a 1.06 ERA before hitting the injured list July 18 with right forearm tightness.

"Somebody goes out with a headline that it’s a partial tear, that’s what a bruise is," Alderson added.

"A bruise is a partial tear of the muscle, OK? So let’s not go out there and write as if this is anything new. It’s not. It’s a very low-grade thing that has resolved itself."

DeGrom has been one of baseball's best pitchers since getting the call-up to the big leagues in 2014. He won back-to-back National League Cy Young Awards in 2018 and 2019 and led MLB with 104 strikeouts in 2020.

As Pat Ragazzo of Sports Illustrated noted, deGrom was shut down from throwing from July 30-August 25.

Ragazzo also reported Aug. 27 that the Mets are taking it slow with his rehab and that the chances of him returning this regular season are "unlikely."

The 69-69 Mets are on the outer edges of the division and wild card races. They sit four games behind Atlanta in the National League East and 4.5 games below the San Diego Padres for the second NL Wild Card spot.

Without deGrom on the mound to shut down opponents every fifth day, it may be difficult for the Mets to leapfrog teams into a playoff spot. Mets pitching has been inconsistent all season outside deGrom, so it may be up to the offense to carry the load in September.

The Mets' lineup has gotten healthier of late with the team welcoming back Javier Baez, James McCann and Francisco Lindor, and that has helped the team win seven of its last nine.

The Mets are in Miami for a three-game series with the Marlins that begins Tuesday before heading home for a nine-game homestand against the New York Yankees, St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Phillies.