Photo via USA Today.

Exactly eight years ago today, two-time Cy Young award-winner, Jacob deGrom, made his first big-league start. It went much like many of his others. He went seven innings. He allowed one earned run, four hits, and a walk. DeGrom struck out six. He even got a hit himself. And he didn’t win.

The only difference was no one saw this coming.

With a 2.58 ERA in seven starts at Triple-A Las Vegas, he was called up as a replacement for the injured Dillon Gee. Originally slated to be a reliever among the organization’s young crop of highly-touted starting pitcher prospects, deGrom was thrust into the middle of the Subway Series for his initial Mets assignment. Fresh-faced and sporting a shoulder-length mane of hair, it might have been hard for Citi Field security guards to not confuse him with an overzealous teen trying to sneak into the clubhouse.

But the 25-year-old more than held his own. He ended the first inning with his first strikeout, getting Mark Teixeira swinging. The Yankees put at least one runner on in each of the initial three frames only to come up empty. DeGrom really settled in afterward—retiring 11 straight.

Trying to maintain a scoreless tie in the seventh, the Mets were unable to turn an inning-ending double play. Alfonso Soriano made it costly with a double that brought home catcher Brian McCann all the way from first.

DeGrom left after the seventh trailing 1-0, and it would remain that way for the duration of the game.

As has been a theme for several of his starts over the years, deGrom was completely betrayed by his offense this evening. A combination of Chase Whitley, Dellin Betances, Adam Warren, and David Robertson held the Mets scoreless. Batters numbers one through eight only managed one hit. DeGrom got the other—a single in the fourth (snapping an 0-for-64 drought among Mets’ pitchers). It advanced Ruben Tejada to third base, who provided the other single of the night.

While he lost in frustrating fashion, deGrom had won a permanent place in the starting rotation and the attention of Mets fans.

However, as is customary for any rookie, he had trouble matching that first performance over the next six weeks. It wasn’t until July 8th that began a string of starts which would lead to national recognition. He won eight of his next nine decisions—striking out 91 with a 1.90 ERA.

In September, deGrom tossed 28 consecutive scoreless innings. None of the great Mets rookie pitchers—Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, Jon Matlack, or Dwight Gooden—can claim anything so impressive. The streak ended on September 15th, but that night was highlighted by eight straight strikeouts to start the game. It matched a modern-day major league record. Within a few months, he was named National League Rookie of the Year, and the foundation was laid for the greatest Mets pitcher of this generation.

Not bad for a former college shortstop and a ninth-round draft pick.