As opening day inches ever closer, there is one jersey number Mets fans look towards to stand on that hill and lead the charge. That number is 48.
The two-time defending National League Cy Young winner Jacob deGrom led the Mets into the season last year, and will continue that trend in 2020, barring any changes by manager Luis Rojas. The 7.9 WAR starter put up a 2.43 ERA over 255 strikeouts and 204 IP in the 2019 season, which follows up a 2018 season in which he had an even more impressive stat line that included league-leading 1.70 ERA.
On Tuesday, he threw in a two-inning simulated game, something he does at the beginning of every spring to prepare himself for the upcoming season. In an interview Tuesday, deGrom spoke towards his plan going into each Spring Training to replicate his past successful seasons.
“I think it is kind of the same thing through most of my camps, fastball command is good early on and it’s just getting the off-speed where I want it, so that is going to be the main work to go in heading into opening day,” he said.
DeGrom’s plan going into the spring is quite simple. He throws to live batters during camp, and then gets on his five-day schedule that includes a simulated game. Soon, that transitions into him making his scheduled starts.
“You know I talked to [Jeremy Hefner] about it and he said whatever I need to do, whatever makes me feel comfortable and he’s been great to work with,” deGrom said.
DeGrom will look to start off the season better in 2020. In his opening five starts of the 2019 regular season, he allowed 14 runs and only made it past the fifth inning twice before settling in for his eventual monumental season.
