New York Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom has been unstoppable since making his season debut, and he promised Freddie Freeman’s son he’d strike out his dad.
New York Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom has been unstoppable since making his season debut, and he’s taken on one of the biggest challenges of all. He promised veteran Freddie Freeman’s son that he’d strike out his dad, according to Mets field reporter Steve Gelbs.
deGrom reportedly said to Freeman’s son Charlie, “I’m gonna strike out your dad tomorrow.”
He lived up to his promise and struck Freeman out in the first inning. This was a big feat because in 510 at-bats, he’s only been struck out 85 times. In 36.1 innings pitched, deGrom has struck out 55. Both are very talented.
Freeman is hitting .324/.396/.510 for an OPS of .906 this season, which is the first season of his career with a new team, the Los Angeles Dodgers. deGrom pitched extremely well to strike out Freeman, and deGrom is showing no signs of slowing down.
Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom is proving to be better every time he steps on the mound
The Mets veteran was never a bad pitcher. Ever since he made his MLB debut in 2014, he’s had a positive impact on the team. However, he made his season debut in early August after not having played since July of 2021. He came back from a shoulder injury, so he was expected to take some time to get acclimated to the majors again.
He didn’t need any time. Upon his first game back, he pitched five innings and struck out six, allowing just one run and three hits. He didn’t produce any walks.
This season, he’s produced an ERA of 1.98, batting average against of .136 and WHIP of 0.55. The Mets have several great pitchers, but none stand out like deGrom does.
Mets owner Steve Cohen recognizes the talent they have on hand, and they’re prioritizing keeping deGrom around, according to the New York Post.
Cohen stated, “Listen, he certainly has the right to do that. We love Jacob, and I think he’s the best pitcher in baseball. We’ll do whatever we can to make sure he stays. But it’s his decision, not ours.”
deGrom may be nine seasons into his career, but he still has a lot to give.