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Andy Marlin, USATSI

With news coming down that ace Jacob deGrom would miss the rest of 2016, Curtis Granderson sprung the New York Mets back to life.

  • New York Mets 3 (79-69)
  • Minnesota Twins 2 (55-94)
  • MLB, Final 12-Innings, Box Score
  • Citi Field, Flushing, New York

Something was desperately needed. What exactly that was, we did not know. 

The New York Mets latest gut punch came down on Saturday afternoon when it was revealed that Jacob deGrom would miss the rest of the season. The Mets ace, who was expected back this weekend from his bum elbow, experienced an unforeseen flare-up and now awaits surgery.

A bigger blow simply could not be imagined.

The standings were still looking kind to the Mets, but the feeling around the clubhouse couldn’t have been one of joy.

Curtis Granderson did much to change that.

With the Minnesota Twins in town, holding a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the 11th-inning (courtesy of a Byron Buxton solo shot off Hansel Robles), Grandy smacked an opposite field shot to incredibly tie the game:

Never does he go opposite field. Moreover, after getting hot for a couple of weeks, Granderson came into the night with a massive 1-for-19 slump on his resume.

But this is why manager Terry Collins continues to roll with the Grandyman. He’s witnessed first hand how the veteran comes to the stadium day after day in a workmanlike and professional manner. He sees how Grandy’s professional attitude rubs off on others.

Most importantly, Collins saw Grandy play extremely well last October when the money was on the line.

Other than the god-like performance Daniel Murphy put up, Grandy showcased the best performance for the Mets last October. His .283 average with three home runs and 12 runs batted in is just one reason why many Mets fans would choose Grandy at the plate with their life on the line.

On this night, when New York needed it most, not only did Grandy tie the game in extra innings, he won it.

Facing lefty Ryan O’Rourke (who Paul Molitor went to for this exact situation), Granderson golfed one into the right field stands in the bottom of the 12-inning to give the Mets a much needed 3-2 victory:

While everybody knows Yoenis Cespedes is the Mets star and most important figure, very few understand the Granderson is the guy who plays situations and shortens the swing better than anybody on the team.

While Yo is the best, Grandy may be the Mets everyday heart. This is probably why Collins is so hard-pressed to fully remove him from the lineup when those massive slumps come.

Tonight, after yet another gut punch during the day, Curtis Granderson sprung the New York Mets at night. Instead of mulling the thought of another fallen teammate, the clubhouse worried about how to drench the Grandyman as he touched home plate.

With the San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals currently live against one another, the Mets will gain ground on the loser.

Robby Sabo is a co-founder, CEO and credentialed New York Jets content creator for Jets X-Factor - Jet X, which includes Sabo's Sessions (in-depth film breakdowns) and Sabo with the Jets. Host: Underdog Jets Podcast with Wayne Chrebet and Sabo Radio. Member: Pro Football Writers of America. Coach: Port Jervis (NY) High School. Washed up strong safety and 400M runner. SEO: XL Media. Founder: Elite Sports NY - ESNY (Sold in 2020). SEO: XL Media. Email: robby.sabo[at]jetsxfactor.com