The New York Mets turned to their ace of nine years on Saturday night in a do-or-die Game 2. Well, despite not having his best stuff at time, the two-time Cy Young winner turned in a start good enough to give the Mets an opportunity to live another day. After six strong innings, the Mets piled on some insurance runs and Jacob deGrom earned an all-important Game 2 victory.

Leading up to Saturday nights start, deGrom did not look like the elite pitcher many knew him to be. Over his previous four outings, deGrom gave up at least three runs in each. One of the starts also featured a short, four-inning appearance against a woeful Athletics team that saw the right-handed ace give up five runs.

In 21 innings across those four starts, deGrom had a 6.00 ERA. His season ERA sat at an uncharacteristically high 3.08 by season’s end. In a win-or-go-home ballgame Saturday, both the Mets and deGrom could not afford a start along the lines of what he has been posting.

Well, in the game’s first two innings Saturday, those struggles looked to be all but history. DeGrom tallied two perfect innings. The first of which featured strikeouts of Juan Soto and Manny Machado back-to-back. Jake was pumping in 102 MPH with ease, making Padres’ hitters look silly.

However, in the third inning, thoughts of his previous starts started to creep back in. He gave up a longball to Trent Grisham. DeGrom, who was beat by the home-run ball several times in his recent lackluster outings, was a victim of it once again.

In the fourth inning, deGrom pitched around a Josh Bell leadoff single and even saw his team give him a second lead of the night by the inning’s end. However, once again, the lead was quickly relinquished. After a leadoff walk, and a ensuing sacrifice bunt, Jurickson Profar, a Met-killer this season, lined a ball that just nicked the chalk down the left-field line for a run-scoring single.

Luckily, deGrom battled back and struck out both Machado and Bell, consecutively, to strand runners at first and third base. This appeared to be the turning point in the ballgame. As after deGrom showcased his classic ability to get huge outs when he needed them most, the Mets ran with the game and did not turn back.

At 90 pitches, and after a brief discussion with the coaching staff, deGrom was sent back out for the sixth inning. This after he was given his third-given lead of the contest. Boy, was that correct decision. Jake only needed nine pitches to get through arguably his most efficient inning of the night. He struck out Jake Cronenworth, then got a fly out and ground out to complete his night.

After the game, deGrom explained that he felt he had his best stuff in the inning. Interestingly enough, he also mentioned how he finally felt his fastball wasn’t a little off and he had the height on it he wanted. After the Grisham home run earlier in the game, deGrom relied on his slider for the majority of the rest of his outing. Appears though, in the successful sixth inning, his fastball finally came back to him.

In all, deGrom threw 99 pitches across the six innings. He allowed five hits and walked two, while only allowing two runs. DeGrom struck out eight and registered the much-needed win as New York extended their 3-2 lead the team had after he exited.

Coincidentally enough, this start felt much like deGrom’s start in an elimination game against the Los Angeles Dodgers back in 2015. In that start, he also went six innings while allowing two earned run. He allowed one more hit, walked one more, struck out one less, but also, like in Saturday’s start, did not have his best stuff at times. Though, he was able to tough it out and register the victory. After the game, deGrom mentioned how similar the two felt.

What may be the most intriguing about the start, is it may potentially be deGrom’s last appearance in a Mets’ uniform. As has been well documented, deGrom has an opt-out in his contract at year’s end and he has expressed that he will exercise it. Of course, there is still an avenue for the Mets to re-sign him and bring him back. Though, deGrom did say himself, in his postgame press conference, that it did cross his mind that Saturday may have been his last start in a Mets’ uniform.

Regardless, the two-time Cy Young winner turned in a monumental start when his team needed it most. Despite an uncertain future, deGrom certainly did not disappoint in giving his team of the last nine seasons the chance to advance to the NLDS Sunday night.