This stat shows Jacob deGrom is getting even better, which is scary
By John Buhler
Jacob deGrom, the National League’s best pitcher, is only getting better.
Good luck trying to hit anything thrown by New York Mets ace Jacob deGrom these days.
While the Mets have largely struggled out of the gate, deGrom has been a shining beacon of hope for a National League East franchise down on its luck. The bullpen is leaking about every other night. “The Polar Bear” Pete Alonso is ice cold at the plate. And Yoenis Cespedes ghosted the Mets on Sunday afternoon. All the while, deGrom remains the best pitcher in the NL.
In three starts for the Mets this year, deGrom is 1-0 with a 2.12 ERA in 17.0 innings pitched with 22 strikeouts. While wins might be a premium for him this season, this one stat gives us reason to believe he’ll be even better on the mound for The Amazin’s. deGrom not only has the fastest fastball in baseball at a 99 MPH average, but his slider is averaging out at 93.8 MPH.
Prayers and luck are the two only things going for you vs. Jacob deGrom
If a pitching prospect can average 93.8 MPH on his fastball, there is a great chance he’ll end up getting drafted by someone. Should a guy average 99 MPH on his fastball, he might be a first-round pick. With deGrom, he is regularly over 100 MPH on the radar gun with his heater. And with his slider being 10 MPH faster than Greg Maddux’s patented two-seamer, good luck with that.
Being asked to make solid contact on a deGrom offering would be like asking an offensive tackle in the NFL to block pass-rushing legend Lawrence Taylor 80 times a ball game and not give up a sack. It’s a perpetual losing proposition. There is not a manner to lose confidence faster in oneself than being asked not to strike out against deGrom at the plate. He is owning every hitter he faces.
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The shame in it all is the Mets aren’t a good team this year. Yes, it’s early, but they haven’t looked like one of the better teams in their own division since the late July start. Though they may want him to, deGrom can’t physically pitch every day. Then again, the 32-year-old right-hander was a shortstop in college at Stetson, so he doesn’t have a ton of wear and tear on his arm.
We are close to watching pitching perfection every time deGrom takes the mound for the Mets.