Maddening Mets Keep Finding Ways To Waste DeGrom's Unbelievable Start To Season
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Jacob deGrom is pitching like the ace of the National League.
But he is getting a little annoyed because many of his starts are not ending as Mets victories.
Take Monday's opener of the doubleheader in Atlanta, for example. DeGrom mowed down the Braves over seven innings, but left with the game tied at 1. The Mets would go on to lose on a Charlie Culberson's walk-off two-run home run.
"(DeGrom) is doing what he always does. We have to be better than that," said Game 1 goat Seth Lugo, who served up the crushing blow. "Those are the games we have to win. We have to make some adjustments and make better pitches."
DeGrom's ERA is an NL-best 1.52 and he has yet to lose this season, winning all four of his decisions. However, he has made seven other starts. Overall, the Mets are just 5-6 with arguably the best pitcher on the senior circuit on the mound. In those losses, New York has scored a combined 15 runs, with six coming in one game. All of the results seem to mirror the team's mediocre 26-25 record.
"I think it's frustrating no matter what, whether I'm pitching or I am not," said deGrom, the 2014 NL Rookie of the Year. "We don't want to lose and when we lose games it's frustrating. Whether it's me or anybody else, that is not what we're trying to do."
How good has the 29-year-old right-hander been? Try exceptional. DeGrom has a 0.45 ERA over his last seven starts and has retired the last 28 hitters to step into the batter's box with runners in scoring position. Overall, he has allowed one earned run or less in nine of his 11 outings, has 85 strikeouts in 65 1/3 innings, a 1.01 WHIP and opponents are hitting just .200 against him.
Yet his win total is really low and the Mets are in fourth place in the NL East.
"He's fearless," manager Mickey Callaway said. "His ability to go out there and attack no matter what situation it is, especially when it gets hairy, he steps it up."
Ask any Mets fan: It's high time the rest of deGrom's teammates start doing the same.
