Another six days elapsed, another dominant performance from Mets ace Jacob deGrom.
DeGrom, 29, has been lights out this past month. After a small tweak from Hall-of-Famer John Smoltz, it’s become commonplace.
The right-hander led the Mets to a 2-1 victory on Friday, flirting with a no-hit bid against the cellar dwelling Phillies to help the Mets to their sixth win in seven games.
“We know we’ve got to win ballgames,” deGrom said. “We know we’ve got a good team and we know we can do it. It’s just a matter of going out there and doing it. I think going into L.A. and getting our teeth kicked in was kind of a wake-up call. Let’s go. If we’re going to do it, we’re running out of time.”
In command from the get-go, deGrom held Philadelphia hitless through the first 4 2/3 innings before Curtis Granderson lost a fly ball that fell for a triple.
After a single from former Met Ty Kelly that scored the Phillies lone run, deGrom settled down to finish out the night strong.
“Granderson lost the ball, and that happens. But I’ve got to be able to get that out right there with two outs,” deGrom said. “I left a fastball right down the middle. It’s a bad pitch on my part, and that was very frustrating.”
The white hot deGrom finished the night going seven dominant innings, allowing just the one run en route to his eighth win of the season. He struck out twelve and walked one.
Friday night was no different than the string of recent starts from deGrom after the righty was pounded for fifteen runs in just eight innings across two starts a month ago.
Since those disappointing performances, deGrom has allowed one run or fewer and thrown at least seven innings in four consecutive starts, the first Met to do so since Matt Harvey worked at least seven innings and allowed one or fewer runs in five straight games from September 19, 2012 to April 19, 2013.
DeGrom has an 0.84 ERA (three earned runs/32 innings) over his last four starts. He has allowed one run or fewer in 42 of his first 92 career starts, tied with former Met Dwight Gooden for the most in the majors since 1913.
“He’s in a groove for sure,” manager Terry Collins said. “I didn’t think tonight [he had] his best command, but he is such a competitor. You don’t see him all of a sudden say, ‘Well, OK, here’s one over the middle of the plate.’ He just continues to pitch how he’s supposed to pitch.”
To add to the legend that is Jacob deGrom, the righty is 5-0 with a 2.34 ERA (15 earned runs/57.2 innings) in nine career starts vs. the Phillies.
The Mets are 9-0 in deGrom’s nine starts vs. Philadelphia and deGrom is 20-12 with a 2.06 ERA (68 earned runs/297.1 innings) in 46 career starts at home.
The 2.08 home ERA is the second lowest in the majors since 2014 (min. 250.0 home innings).
DeGrom trails just Clayton Kershaw‘s 1.75 home ERA for best in the majors.
The lone bright spot in the Mets rotation this season, deGrom is certainly making a case to appear in his second all-star game, after striking out the side on 10 pitches in the Summer Classic two years ago.
What else is there to say about Jacob deGrom other than he’s been phenomenal.
Unfortunately it had to be Curtis Granderson, who has been tearing the cover off the ball at the dish the last several weeks, that had to lose the ball that broke up the no-hit bid in the fifth.
Those that give also take away, the old adage goes.
Though it was just the lowly Phillies, deGrom has been able to go out every turn in the rotation and just dominate.
That tip from Smoltz about pitching two light bullpen sessions between starts I’m sure helped, but this guy just needed to believe in himself again.
He started seeing results and has ran with it. Needless to say, it’s great to see.
The work ethic and presence deGrom has on the mound is wonderful, even with all the negativity and injuries surrounding him, he has transcended above.
It’s what a true ace does, and deGrom is our true ace.
