Things had been going so well for Jacob deGrom over the last month, it almost seemed impossible even a mediocre start could be had during the young pitcher’s remarkable run.
He had allowed just eight earned runs in 58 2/3 innings in his last eight starts, one of only a few highlights on a Mets team that has been slowly bleeding to death during that time.
But alas, despite deGrom’s heroism during those eight starts, he had a start on Thursday which showed he might actually be mortal.
DeGrom allowed four runs – three earned – on seven hits with two walks and two strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings.
Not terrible, not great. Not remotely good enough to keep what the Mets call their offense in this game.
“I just never had the game I wanted,” deGrom said afterwards. “I had a tough time commanding my pitches. I was wild. I just struggled out there today.”
The 5 1/3 inning performance was the shortest outing since he went just five innings on May 11, against the same Chicago Cubs.
“We all get used to watching him just dominate,” Terry Collins said after the game. “Today he didn’t have his best stuff, [and] he didn’t have command of the stuff he had, that we’re used to. What he did do is what we’ve become accustomed to watching. He battled his butt off the whole game.”
He really struggled with his fastball command, so much so it seemed like he was throwing a lot more off-speed pitches early while he waited for his fastball to come around. The problem was, he was up in the zone with those pitches as well. While he battled and hung in there, in the end he got knocked out after allowing a two-run home run to Jonathan Herrera in the sixth inning, his first of the year.
“You could sense the air coming out of the balloon,” Terry Collins explained after Herrera homered in the sixth inning.
That is a part of the problem with these Mets, although its a byproduct of an issue far greater than hating to lose.
DeGrom knew well before he stepped onto the Citi Field his outing might be problematic.
“Even in the bullpen [before the game], I struggled with my command,” deGrom explained. “That’s happened before, and I’ve come out and had good command in the game. It’s just one of those days.”
It happens, even to the best of them, which deGrom is unquestionably among. Unfortunately, the Mets cannot afford the slightest bit of humanity from their starting pitching. They all must be perfect every single day, because their offense just won’t keep up with anything they allow.
DeGrom was upset with his performance on Thursday, so much so he took out a water cooler – with his pitching hand – as he entered the dugout upon being removed.
But Terry Collins was not upset with deGrom’s display of emotion. Rather, he encourages those displays on occasion.
“You’re allowed to have some emotion,” Collins explained. “You’ve got to have some emotion to play this game. He knows we needed him today and he didn’t pitch like he wanted to and he’s mad about it. I support it. I hope he kicked a lot of stuff on the way out there.”
Just Mets 