Mets’ Jacob deGrom goes on family emergency leave

Jacob deGrom on May 31, 2014 Credit: Getty Images / Rich Schultz
CLEVELAND — Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom was placed on the family emergency list Saturday as he tends to a medical matter related to his newborn son Jaxon.
DeGrom will be on leave from three to seven days. Manager Terry Collins refused to divulge details about what he called “complications,” including whether they are considered life-threatening.
“I’ve spoken to him every day,” Collins said Saturday before the Mets’ 7-5 loss to the Indians. “He’s not sleeping much. We’re certainly rooting for him and Stacey and the baby to hang in there.”
DeGrom had been sidelined with tightness in his right lat muscle, but Collins indicated that he would have been prepared to make his next scheduled start Tuesday against the Phillies had it not been for his family emergency.
Logan Verrett will pitch in deGrom’s place Tuesday and utilityman Eric Campbell has been summoned from Triple-A Las Vegas, giving the Mets a full 25-man roster. They had been playing shorthanded.
DeGrom’s son has experienced complications since his birth Monday, which the pitcher attended. Since then, deGrom has been making the 2 1⁄2-hour commute from his home in DeLand, Florida, to the team’s complex in Port St. Lucie to throw bullpen sessions.
“The lat’s fine,” Collins said. “He’s just building up.”
DeGrom threw a light bullpen session Friday and is scheduled to increase the intensity with another bullpen session tomorrow. If all goes well, Collins said deGrom could face hitters Tuesday.
The soonest deGrom could return is next weekend against the Braves, which likely will be an abbreviated outing, given that he hasn’t pitched in a major-league game since April 8. Of course, all of those plans revolve around the condition of deGrom’s son.
Said Collins: “We’re all praying and pulling for him.”