Mets don’t need to worry about deGrom’s innings total

The Mets will have somewhat strict innings limits on Matt Harvey and Noah Syndergaard, but nothing of the sort should apply to Jacob deGrom.

Harvey is returning from Tommy John surgery and Mets GM Sandy Alderson has said that Harvey will have a “soft” innings cap. However, the plan from this past winter was for Harvey to pitch all the way through October should the Mets get there, and that plan has not changed.

Syndergaard has never thrown more than 133 innings during the regular season — which he did last year for Triple-A Las Vegas.

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Harvey’s cap is likely around 200, though that will likely climb if the team reaches the postseason. Syndergaard’s cap is probably around 170, but that too will likely increase if the team reaches the postseason.

In order to conserve Harvey and Syndergaard’s innings and potentially get them through the entire month of October, both Steven Matz and Logan Verrett will likely make starts in the coming weeks. Additionally, Harvey and/or Syndergaard may have a few starts skipped.

But again, that type of handling should not apply to deGrom.

DeGrom has thrown 154.1 innings so far this season after throwing 178.2 in 2014 between Triple-A Las Vegas and the Mets.

Given how the Mets ordinarily handle their young starting pitchers, that would give deGrom a limit of roughly 215 innings in 2015.

As the schedule currently shakes out, deGrom would likely make eight more starts. However, with the team planning on using both Matz and Verrett, let’s say deGrom makes seven starts the rest of the way — averaging seven innings per start. That would put deGrom at 202.1 innings for the season.

A full postseason slate could mean five or so starts for deGrom, which would be a bit beyond what the Mets have already allotted. But the postseason is a different animal and will be handled accordingly. None of these guys are getting shut down.