LEADING OFF: DeGrom ailing, Swihart’s new start, when Vlad?
A look at what’s happening around the majors Saturday:
CHECK HIM
Mets ace Jacob deGrom will have an MRI on his right elbow after the NL Cy Young Award said his arm has felt sore. DeGrom is leaving the team in St. Louis to get examined back in New York, and the team is putting him on the injured list.
“We’re not sure what it is,” manager Mickey Callaway said.
The 30-year-old deGrom, who had Tommy John surgery in 2010, began this season with two dominant outings. But he lost his last two starts while allowing a total of nine runs on 13 hits — including five homers — and five walks in nine innings.
DeGrom signed a $137.5 million, five-year contract right before opening day.
NEW HOME
Blake Swihart gets a chance to jump-start his career after Boston traded the catcher to Arizona. The 27-year-old was cut by the Red Sox this week after going 6 for 26 in 12 games.
Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen worked in player development and amateur scouting with Boston when Swihart was selected in the first round of the 2011 draft. Swihart became one of the team’s top prospects, but his offensive production hasn’t matched the hype.
NOT SO FRIENDLY
Zack Greinke has posted a win at every current National League ballpark except one. The Diamondbacks star will try make it a clean sweep when he starts at Wrigley Field. Greinke is 0-2 with an 8.31 ERA in five starts at the Friendly Confines.
Yu Darvish (1-2, 6.11) starts for the Cubs and goes for his second straight victory.
HOW SOON?
Still no word on when super prospect Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will make his major league debut for Toronto, but it could be real soon. He is 7 for 17 with two homers, six RBIs and no strikeouts in five games for Triple-A Buffalo.
The son of a Hall of Famer, Vladdy Jr. batted .381 with a combined 50 extra-base hits at four levels in the minors last year.
“I don’t know when he’s coming, I really don’t,” Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said before his team opened a weekend series at Oakland.
“We have the No. 1 prospect in baseball and it will be pretty cool when he gets here,” he said.
