Jacob deGrom (2-0, 1.54 ERA) looks to continue his early season success against San Francisco Giants starter Matt Cain (0-2, 6.43 ERA) as the Mets will be searching for their eighth straight win.
DeGrom will pitch in his second start since his son, Jaxon, was born. Manager, Terry Collins, believes that now that deGrom can get back on a regular schedule, he could only benefit from it. Previously deGrom had gone 16 days between starts while on medical leave due to medical complications with his newborn son as well as dealing with a lat issue.
“There is a pattern you get in as a baseball player,” Collins said. “When you’re out there every fifth day, you’re in a comfort zone. The fact Jake is back in more of a pattern will help him, and the fact things at home are settled down will ease his mind a little bit.” (Newsday)
Jacob returned to the mound against the Reds last Sunday, picking up his second win of the season. He pitched 5.2 innings while allowing eight hits but just one run and striking out three. The normalcy for deGrom will be a nice change of pace as he settles in to the 2016 season. After his last start deGrom felt good getting back into the swing of things.
“Everything feels physically fine,” deGrom said. “I think getting back in a game was a little strange, you try to simulate that in Florida, but the actual game is a little different. It felt a little different out there today, but I was able to work through 5 2/3 innings.”
Now back with the team full time, look for deGrom to get back to his dominant self. It also helps knowing that his biggest fan, Jaxon, will be watching every pitch his father throws at home with Jacob’s wife, Stacey.
