Feb. 14 (UPI) -- A chunk of wood was missing and letters were chipped off of Jacob deGrom's 2018 Cy Young Award while the hardware was being shipped from New York to Florida.
The New York Mets told ESPN and Newsday that they are sending the award back to its manufacturer for repairs. DeGrom, 30, won the award after posting a 1.70 ERA last season, the best mark in Major League Baseball. The two-time All-Star was 10-9 in his 32 starts.
He received the award at the Baseball Writers' Association of America dinner in January in Manhattan. Most of the damage to the award came on the word "outstanding," which had several of its letters scraped off. The word appears in the script: "Cy Young Award presented to Jacob deGrom the outstanding National League pitcher 2018."
DeGrom, who is making $17 million this season, edged Washington Nationals ace Max Scherzer and Philadelphia Phillies arm Aaron Nola for first place in National League Cy Young Award voting.
Tampa Bay Rays southpaw Blake Snell snagged American League Cy Young Award honors.
Mets manager Mickey Callaway announced Thursday that deGrom will be the team's opening day starter March 28 against the Nationals in Washington, D.C.
The Mets begin their spring training slate with a game against the Atlanta Braves at 1:10 p.m. Feb. 23 at First Data Field in Port St. Lucie, Fla.
