Pitcher Jacob deGrom of the New York Mets was having one of the best seasons in the team’s — and even MLB’s — history in 2021, and he helped guide the team to a World Series trip.
At that point, an injury occurred, and the two-time Cy Young champion suffered for three years, missing extended periods of time due to injury, which ultimately led to his exit from the team. With a new club, deGrom is finally regaining his former Cy Young form, nearly four years after he initially fell.
Jacob deGrom Back on Top
Despite entering the major leagues at the age of 26, deGrom had a turbulent start, winning National League Rookie of the Year in 2014 and serving as a key member of the rotation that helped the Mets win the World Series the following season.
Prior to his injury in 2021, he led the majors with a 1.08 ERA and had won consecutive Cy Young awards in 2018 and 2019. The next season, DeGrom made just 11 starts for the Mets before joining the Texas Rangers in 2023.
After having Tommy John surgery in 2023, DeGrom, who is 37 in June, has fully recovered. Finding the fastball that made him one of the most dominant pitchers the MLB has seen in decades, he is 4-1 with a 2.33 ERA so far this season.
Kyle Higashioka, a catcher with the Rangers, told USA Today that it’s similar to catching a computer game. Simply place the glove there, and the ball will travel there at a speed of about 100 mph. He is amazing.
New Pitching Strategy Paying Off
DeGrom said he has learned to vary his pitching, throwing a changeup and even a curveball, which was a rarity during his time with the Mets when he relied almost entirely on his fastball and slider.
DeGrom said he needed to learn to dial it back a bit and lessen the strain on his body. During his tenure in Queens, DeGrom was just as aggressive at the plate as he was on the mound. He hit .364 with six RBIs in 2021, his final season as a hitter.
DeGrom asserted that he had learned to vary his pitching, throwing a changeup and even a curveball, in contrast to his time with the Mets, when he primarily employed his fastball and slider.
DeGrom said he needs to learn to dial it back a bit to lessen the strain on his body. During his tenure in Queens, DeGrom was just as aggressive at the plate as he was on the pitching. He hit.364 with six RBIs in 2021, his final season as a batsman.
DeGrom went on to say that he developed the ability to manage the mental aspect of the game, particularly in light of his extended absences during his injury recovery.
He stated, “The mental thing is the main thing.” “You want to compete out there. The objective was to constantly take as many balls as possible and pitch as many as I could. And you feel like a huge disappointment when you don’t. We enjoy playing this game a lot. And it’s difficult when you’re going to miss that much time.
