New York Mets starter Jacob deGrom has been dominant over the past month. The numbers are alarming.
In a rotation that features superstars such as Thor and the Dark Knight, an unlikely hero has emerged as the ace — again.
Jacob deGrom, known to the Flushing Faithful as the DeGrominator, is 3-0 with a 0.93 ERA in his last four starts.
He’s punished the Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs, Miami Marlins and Philadelphia Phillies with his overwhelming slider (opposing hitters are 2-for-23 against his slider against those four opponents).
According to ESPN’s Mark Simon, deGrom’s fastball averaged 94.9 miles per hour in his last start against Philadelphia, up from 92.9 at the start of the season.
In addition, his put-away rate has improved 23 percent during the four game span. This could be attributed to Rene Rivera’s presence behind the plate in deGrom’s last two appearances.
Rivera is a significantly better game caller than the team’s starting backstop, Travis d’Arnaud.
His inconspicuous stretch of dominance concluded with a brilliant one-hit shutout on Sunday afternoon, in which he was more efficient with two strikes, striking out seven in those situations.
deGrom, 28, etched his name in the record books following Sunday’s brilliant performance. He’s the first Mets pitcher since R.A. Dickey to notch a complete-game shutout and allow one hit or fewer.
Furthermore, his game score of 97 is tied for fifth in franchise history, while he attained his sixteenth career game without surrendering a run — tied for second in franchise history for pitchers in their first 68 starts.
It’s safe to say the DeGrominator is pitching as well as he’s ever had.
