Mets' Jacob deGrom: Feels good after bullpen session

DeGrom (back) threw a 37-pitch bullpen session Thursday and said afterward that he felt "wonderful," Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News reports.

With deGrom's bullpen session going according to plan, he'll take the hill Sunday against the Astros in his Grapefruit League debut. The outing will mark the second time he'll have faced hitters this spring; deGrom previously tossed live batting practice to rehabbing teammates Dominic Smith, Juan Lagares and TIm Tebow on Tuesday. According to Matt Ehalt of The Bergen Record, Mets pitching coach Dave Eiland relayed earlier this week that deGrom will need to face hitters on five occasions -- be it in live BP sessions or spring games -- before receiving clearance to make his season debut. That stipulation makes it unlikely deGrom will start Opening Day against the Cardinals, though he should be ready to pitch in one of the final two games of the series March 31 or April 1.