29-year-old Mets pitcher is having the season of his life, and the team is wasting it in the saddest of ways
- New York Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom is having the season of his life, but the team hasn't been able to back him up.
- deGrom has a 0.87 ERA over his past ten starts, but the Mets are 2-8 in those games.
- Trade rumors are already swirling around deGrom's name, as the Mets may have to capitalize on his value and get some prospects to jump-start their rebuild.
New York Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom has been arguably the best pitcher in the National League and maybe all of baseball, but it has been for naught.
For the season, the 29-year-old righty has a 1.57 ERA and a 1.008 WHIP. He's allowed just 17 total runs in 14 starts and has recorded 106 strikeouts to 23 walks.
Unfortauntely for deGrom, a futile Mets offense is wasting his efforts. deGrom's most recent starts have been even more ridiculous. He has a 0.87 ERA in his past ten starts, and the Mets are 2-8 in those games. According to Elias Sports Bureau. That's the fewest wins over a stretch with an ERA that low since 1913. The Mets are 0-5 in deGrom's last five starts in which he's allowed five runs total.
The Mets are 17-35 since starting the season 11-1. While their starting pitching has generally been solid - and in deGrom's case, spectacular - the offense hasn't held up its end of the bargain.
Since May 1, the Mets are dead-last in batting average, hits, runs, OPS. They're hitting .260 on balls batted in play, last in the league. Nobody on the team with over 100 at-bats is hitting over .280.
On Wednesday, deGrom pitched seven innings against the NL East-leading Atlanta Braves, striking out 7 and giving up 7 hits and 1 run. The Mets lost 2-0. After the game, third baseman Todd Frazier told reporters that he apologized to deGrom for the Mets' offensive woes.
"After the game, I said, 'Dude, I'm sorry. I don't know what's going on. I don't know why we're not producing for you,'" Frazier said.
"We talk about trying too hard. Maybe we're trying too hard when he's pitching, but a guy throws like that, he works fast. He was just dominant."
Right fielder Jay Bruce said the Mets have "wasted" deGrom's efforts.
"I know (deGrom) doesn't care about the wins and losses by his name, but he's been essentially perfect every time he goes out there, and we've wasted them," Bruce said. "That's as frustrating as can be."
Mets manager Micky Callaway acknowledged that the team feels especially awful for its offensive futility when deGrom is pitching.
Already trade rumors are surrounding deGrom's name. His trade value may never be higher, and the Mets could get a jump-start on a rebuild by getting some prospects in return for their ace.
At the rate the Mets season is spiraling, they may have to consider moving their best player as they look to tear down the roster. Surely, some other team would be happy to add a pitcher like deGrom to their rotation.