Jacob deGrom scratched from start vs. Tigers with back stiffness
Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom throws a bullpen session on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016 during a spring training workout in Port St. Lucie, Fla. Credit: Newsday / Alejandra Villa
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Here’s a fun fact: Jacob deGrom prefers a firm mattress.
The righthander’s sleeping habits came into focus Monday when lingering back stiffness forced the Mets to scrub his scheduled start against the Tigers. He blamed his bed. To avoid aggravating that stiffness with a 2 1⁄2-hour bus ride to Lakeland, deGrom threw an extended bullpen session here.
“It’s more precautionary,” he said of his skipped start.
DeGrom blamed a mattress that was too soft. It bothered his back enough that last week, he overnighted a firmer mattress on the recommendation of teammate Matt Harvey.
“I had to switch something up,” deGrom said, “and that seemed to work.”
DeGrom emerged from a roughly 40-pitch throwing session with no issues. He expects to throw again Thursday or Friday.
Asked his level of concern about deGrom, manager Terry Collins said, “None.”
Seth Lugo replaced deGrom and threw two scoreless innings in the Mets’ 9-2 loss to the Tigers in Lakeland.
Colon goes deep
In 18 major-league seasons, Bartolo Colon has come to the plate 237 times. He has never homered. But the 43-year-old cult hero offered hope that perhaps this is the year.
Colon launched a home run during pitchers’ batting practice. The liner hugged the leftfield line, cleared the fence and snapped a branch off a nearby tree before coming to rest.
While his teammates marveled, Colon smiled at hitting coach Kevin Long, who was throwing from behind a screen. While his teammates marveled, Colon smiled at hitting coach Kevin Long, who was throwing from behind a screen. The pitcher watched the ball just long enough to see it sail over the fence.
Extra bases
Wilmer Flores, who went 3-for-3 with two doubles in Lakeland, is hitting .556. Flores started at third base with Matt Reynolds at short. Reynolds (1-for-3, .176) made an error and misplayed another ball . . . After fouling a ball off his knee Sunday, Dilson Herrera still was able to head to Panama City, Panama, on Monday to play for the Colombian team in a World Baseball Classic qualifier.
With Anthony Rieber
