Jacob deGrom gave the Mets just the pitching performance they needed Friday night. deGrom tossed seven innings of shutout ball en route to a 3-0 Mets victory. This marked the first time in the past 18 games that a Mets starter threw more than six innings, and the first time deGrom had done it all season.
deGrom was in command up until the seventh inning where he faltered. Heading into the seventh, deGrom was cruising and the Mets were leading 2-0. Things got a little dicey when Andrelton Simmons lined a leadoff double. Right after that, Ray Ramirez came out to check on deGrom, however he was okay to pitch with the blister. deGrom’s command issues then arose again as he walked C.J. Cron, and hit Martin Maldonado with a pitch to load the bases with still no body out.
deGrom then went to work as he battled and struck out Danny Espinosa looking on a fastball. He then got a little help from his shortstop, as Jose Reyes made a beautiful play on a liner to save a run. deGrom then got Cameron Maybin to fly out to retire the side and end the threat.
Postgame, deGrom told reporters, “we’ve been working in between starts to try to get my arm back up. And I think tonight was probably the best I’ve felt.”
On the finger issue, deGrom said “it was more of just a callus that ripped up, once I ripped it off it felt fine.”
If Jacob could continue pitching like an ace that would be a huge boost for a Mets rotation that has disappointed in 2017.
