deGrom first injury scare of spring

PORT ST. LUCIE — Jacob deGrom’s sore left groin represents the Mets’ first injury watch of spring training.

The righthander skipped a bullpen session Monday just to play it safe, after feeling discomfort during a longtoss. DeGrom suspects he tweaked the groin Saturday, when he slipped running.

“I just kept running and nothing was bothering me and then [Sunday] it was a little sore,” deGrom said. “And then I went and did everything and it didn’t bother me doing anything and I felt I could have went [Monday], but I felt it was just being careful. It’s early. I didn’t want to go out there and aggravate it more.”

DeGrom expects to throw a longtoss session Tuesday and could resume throwing from a bullpen mound later in the week.

“We saw his bullpen the other day, he was lights out, so we know his arm is fine,” manager Terry Collins said. “Let’s just take this slow, we’ll get your legs under you and we’ll resume throwing in a couple of days and we’ll be ready to go.

“I wish he would have said something immediately, because he said he felt it and finished his run. That’s how they are, they never think they are going to get hurt.”

DeGrom, Matt Harvey, Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz are all expected to skip the first week of Grapefruit League games to give the young pitchers extra rest following last year’s World Series run.

Lucas Duda worked out less this winter, according to Collins, with the idea of keeping his body fresher for the season.

Collins said Duda told him Monday it’s been quite awhile since he’s felt this good physically.

“He’s still in great shape, he’s taken care of himself, but as I told him, ‘The one thing we don’t need is the fatigue setting in, because of all the work you’ve put in,’ ” Collins said.

“You learn what works and what hasn’t and he thinks, when he was fatigued he’s not going to say anything, so I think right now he realizes he’s got to say something and step up where he can get some rest.”