DeGrom regains velocity in Grapefruit League debut

Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom pitched two scoreless innings on Saturday against the Astros, reaching 97 mph on his fastball.

DeGrom underwent surgery at the end of last season to fix the ulnar nerve in his elbow and had not pitched in a game since Sept. 1. After Saturday's game that saw him strike out three hitters in Palm Beach, deGrom said he was pleased to see the velocity back after a drop last year.

"Last year, it was all I had to get 92 [mph], I feel like," he told reporters. "I think it has to do with repeating my mechanics and being back in line where I need to be. Last year, I flew open all of the time and my arm was really dragging. Now, I'm staying on top of the ball and I get kind of…