METSGAMEDAY

Joey Bats has still got some some pop.

A castoff from the Braves earlier this season, Jose Bautista hit a walkoff grand slam Friday night with the game tied in the ninth, giving the Mets a 5-1 victory. It marked the Mets’ first walk-off grand slam since Ike Davis hit one on April 5, 2014. It salvaged a game in which Jacob deGrom was brilliant yet again but received a no-decision.

Mets acting general manager John Ricco said before Friday’s game against the Rays at Citi Field that a team would have to present an “overwhelming” offer for the Mets to consider moving on from someone like Jacob deGrom. Later in the night, deGrom again showed why that’s the case by overwhelming Tampa Bay to the tune of one run over eight innings.

DeGrom, who lowered his ERA to 1.79 through 18 starts, is now lined up to pitch at least one inning in the All-Star Game if needed. His final start before the break is scheduled for Wednesday against the Phillies, meaning he’ll be on five days’ rest for the July 17 midsummer classic in Washington.

The only blemish for deGrom on Friday was a two-out, solo home run by Willy Adames, which came on a 1-2 fastball in the top of the fifth.

The Mets (35-49) scored their lone run on an RBI single by Asdrubal Cabrera in the third. Brandon Nimmo reached on Adames’ throwing error with one out and advanced to second. Cabrera knocked Nimmo in after Jose Bautista walked.

They couldn’t scratch out another run for deGrom in the sixth or eighth innings despite getting the leadoff man on base, leading to his ninth nodecision of the season.