What do Clayton Kershaw, Sandy Koufax, and Max Scherzer have in common with Jacob deGrom? They’re all standing in the Mets ace’s shadow.
It’s no secret that Jacob deGrom is one of the best starting pitchers that MLB has to offer.
He’s been phenomenal over parts of four big league seasons, going 37-25 with a 2.90 ERA and 1.12 WHIP while striking out more than a batter-per-inning.
But those numbers don’t quite hit on just how dominant the 29-year-old righty has been.
Think about that for a second.
In more than a century, only Dwight Gooden, a legendary figure in Mets history and a freak of nature on the mound in his prime, has accomplished what deGrom has.
That’s a mighty long time—and a mighty impressive feat.
If that’s not enough, consider this: Among pitchers with at least 40 home starts since 2014, only one—Kershaw—has a lower home ERA than deGrom’s 2.08 mark at Citi Field.
What does all of this mean? Two things.
First, deGrom shouldn’t be on the periphery of conversations about the best starting pitcher in baseball. He belongs firmly in the middle of those talks, right alongside the likes of Kershaw and Scherzer.
Perhaps more importantly for the Mets, it means bad news for the Philadelphia Phillies, deGrom’s opponent at Citi Field Friday night.
Over eight career starts against the Phils, deGrom has gone 4-0 with a 2.49 ERA and 1.00 WHIP.
That’s deGrominance at its finest.