Jacob DeGrom Strikes out Nine Colorado Rockies in a Row in Mets Victory

New York Mets righthander Jacob DeGrom pitches well enough that he could be a 20 game winner every year, even in these times when that benchmark is getting rare with the way bullpens are used these days. In 2018, DeGrom had a 1.70 ERA and 269 strikeouts in 32 starts and only had a 10-9 record to show for it. He had a 2.43 ERA and 255 strikeouts in 32 starts in 2019, and was 11-8. He won the National League Cy Young Awards both seasons. He has had some better won lost records before those Cy Young seasons (15-10, with a career high but still good 3.53 ERA in 2017, and 14-8 with a 2.54 ERA in 2015).

The lack of victories during his Cy Young Award years obviously wasn’t due to his pitching; instead, it was due to lack of offense. The Mets hitters seem to save their worst performances for games when DeGrom is on the mound. Last season, DeGrom was 4-2 with a 2.38 ERA and a league leading 104 strikeouts in 12 starts; that was kind of a small sample due to the Covid-19 shortened schedule, but things seemed headed in the right direction.

But now, in the first weeks of the 2021 season, that lack of run support appeared to be making a comeback. In his first start of the season at Philadelphia on April 5th, DeGrom allowed three hits and no runs in six innings and got a no decision in the Mets’ 5-3 loss to the Phillies. The Mets had 10 hits, but left 10 men on base. In his next start April 10th versus Miami, DeGrom allowed one run, walked none, and struck out 14 in eight innings in the Marlins’ 3-0 win. The Mets had just three hits themselves, and DeGrom was 0-1 on the season.

DeGrom’s third start of the season was on April 17th in Denver versus the Colorado Rockies. For the second game in a row, DeGrom struck out 14; this time, he became the ninth pitcher to strike out nine batters in a row, one short of the major league record of 10 set by Hall of Famer (and former Met) Tom Seaver. The Rockies scored three unearned runs in the fifth inning to take a 3-1 lead. DeGrom pitched through the sixth inning, trailing 3-2 in what looked like another great pitching performance wasted, but this time the Mets rallied for two runs in the top of the seventh to give DeGrom his first win of the season (this was Game 1 of a double header; each game in a double header is seven innings again this year).

DeGrom’s line was three hits, no earned runs, 14 strikeouts, and one walk in six innings. He also had a hit and scored a run and is four for seven with a run and an RBI at the plate this season. His pitching record for the season is 1-1 with an 0.45 ERA, one earned run, 11 hits, three walks, and 35 strikeouts in 20 innings pitched. The Mets do have a pretty good hitting line up, especially with the addition of shortstop Francisco Lindor, so at some point the hitting and DeGrom’s pitching starts will sync up. Probably.