Some organizations, such as the Cardinals, are known for bringing young pitchers up from the minors and letting them debut in low-pressure situations, often out of the bullpen, even if they’re a starter. Then there are the Mets.
On this date in 2014, the Mets had a young pitcher make his debut against the New York Yankees. It was the finale of the four-game series, and the real highlight had been the night before when future Mets ace Rafael Montero had made his major league debut.
Sure, Montero had nibbled around the plate while surrendering five hits and three runs in 6 innings, but surely he would improve on his way to Mets ace? This was the wrap up game of the series against their crosstown rivals, and the Mets had won the first two games, so even if the rook was bombed, the Mets would walk away with a split.
The pitcher making his debut in the series finale against the Yankees, Jacob deGrom, did quite well for himself.
In his debut, filling in for the injured Dillon Gee, deGrom tossed seven innings and allowed only one run against the Yankees on a double surrendered to Alfonso Soriano, scoring Brian McCann. Economical in his pitch count, deGrom threw 91 pitches across his seven-inning debut, walking two and striking out 6. His first career strikeout was Mark Teixeira in the first.
DeGrom, showed his aptitude with the, had one of the two Mets hits that night and laid down a sacrifice bunt. In another sign of things to come, the Mets lost, 1-0.
The lack of run support would plague deGrom again in his career. DeGrom would become one of five pitchers to open his career with four straight quality starts for the Mets, but only the second (along with Mets broadcaster Ron Darling) to go winless in those four games. In those four starts, deGrom’s had 25 strikeouts, one less than Dick Selma (1965), Doc Gooden and Matt Harvey who all struck out 26 in their first four major league games.
The Mets would finish the 2014 season in second place, a distant 17 games behind the Washington Nationals in the season before going to the World Series. DeGrom would win the 2014 Rookie of the Year award, finishing 9-6 despite the lack of support, with a 2.69 ERA. He would later earn the 2018 and the 2019 Cy Young Awards.
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