JAKE STRIKES BACK! Jacob deGrom, who lasted just one inning in last start, goes seven strong and ties career high in strikeouts as Mets down Diamondbacks, 3-1.
DeGrom rebounds from last start, fans 13 as Mets clip D-Backs
If nothing else, Jacob deGrom continues to boost his trade value to astronomical levels. What, too soon? Fair enough, I am ducking now for dramatic effect. Returning from his truncated one-inning scoreless outing last Sunday by matching his career-high with 13 strikeouts against zero walks over seven more stellar frames, deGrom did precisely what aces do in a 3-1 win over Arizona on Friday night at Citi Field.
Restored a semblance of order, spared the bullpen, alleviated injury concerns even if he didn’t swing the bat, all of the above. Trade, what trade? “I would say it was probably close to the best I’ve felt (this season),” deGrom said after improving to 4-0 with a 1.75 ERA in 2018.
Look, long before the Mets even must decide whether or not to attempt to lock up or move either or both of their two remaining All-Star caliber starting pitchers — out of what they once believed would be five AllStar caliber pitchers, that is — they have a season desperately in need of salvaging.
And before any such franchise-altering decisions are even considered, let alone made, Mickey Callaway is taking a few more cracks at determining exactly how deGrom and Noah Syndergaard can be best utilized to help the Mets remain in this 2018 playoff race before it is too late.
By now you’ve probably seen that the team’s co-aces wound up on the back page of the Daily News on Friday — in pinstriped uniforms and interlocking NY caps, no less! — as a teaser (that surely was not going to be received favorably in Queens) to a well-constructed column by esteemed colleague John Harper.
Don’t overlook the fact that Harp’s sound argument included a line in the fourth paragraph unequivocally stating “there’s no chance the Mets would send deGrom to the Bronx to win championships.”
The primary premise was spot on, however, that a fast-closing window in the NL East – due to the sudden rises of Atlanta and Philadelphia, and little help on the horizon from within the organization — might eventually prompt the Mets to consider dealing either deGrom, Thor or both to fill multiple holes throughout their lineup and replenish their farm system.
“I didn’t pay any attention to that,” deGrom said. “Honestly, it’s still so early in the season that I haven’t thought about that at all. All of that’s out of my control.” Whatever your opinion – trade one or both and rebuild, or as many clearly prefer, resign them and build around them – the far more immediate concern was how the Mets should proceed in the short-term after losing 18 of 27 following their 11-1 breakout start to enter this weekend in fourth place in the NL East.
Especially after Juan Lagares suddenly joined lineup centerpieces Yoenis Cespedes and Todd Frazier on the disabled list, after it was announced that his “X-rays were negative” diagnosis from Wednesday typically morphed two days later into a very familiar and Mets-like medical result of “undergoing surgery, likely out for the season.”
More than ever, the Mets needed to be picked up immediately by deGrom and Syndergaard, and hope that such ace-worthy performances might provide a trickle-down effect throughout the underwhelming remainder of their pitching staff.
DeGrom more than did his share on Friday, with an immense assist to an overdue breakout game from Michael Conforto with four hits to equal his career best.
Otherwise, Callaway’s decision to rearrange his starting rotation — inserting
lefty Steven Matz to start Saturday, bookended by deGrom’s and Syndergaard’s outings – looks like a wise one. The move should provide a different look for the opposing lineup than when aligning the two power righties in succession, and it might even balance out the need for extra relief innings from an overworked bullpen on the days the team’s top two starters don’t pitch.
“But it will only help if the other guys step up,” Callaway said. “They have to.”
Of course, that also is assuming that Syndergaard eventually resumes working deeper into games (averaging 5.2 innings over nine starts). And that deGrom won’t have any more appearances in which he had to be pulled after requiring 45 pitches to navigate a scoreless first inning, as he did in his initial outing back from a 10-day DL stint due to a hyperextended elbow last Sunday against Philadelphia.
“I was a little worried that he would tire out just because he’s had such a crazy schedule,” Callaway said. “I was hesitant to put him back out there (for the seventh), but he really wanted it. He did a great job.”
E ven if both deGrom and Syndergaard pitch the way they are capable, the Mets still will have plenty of problems and complicated decisions to make about their future.
In the meantime, it’s incumbent upon the pinstriped duo from Friday’s back page to lead the Mets back into contention.