New year, new owner, same old Mets, right? After its scheduling season-opening weekend against the Nationals was postponed, New York started the 2021 season on Monday against the Phillies, and Jacob deGrom was dominant: six shutout innings in which he allowed three hits, walked two and struck out seven. Alas, the bullpen and defense couldn't hold on to a 2-0 lead and the Mets are 0-1 after a 5-3 setback.
For Mets fans this is nothing new. Since becoming the super-human monster in 2018 that's won two Cy Youngs and had a top-three finish in 2020, deGrom's earned run average is 2.07 across 77 starts -- and his overall record is 25-19 (another reason why win-loss record needs adjusting).
So let's look back at some of deGrom's best starts since 2018 in games in which he didn't factor in the final decision -- there are plenty from which to choose.
August 26, 2020 vs Marlins: deGrom's season-high in strikeouts last year came in a dominant seven-inning effort at home in which he allowed two hits, one run, two walks and K'd 14 Marlins. He left with a 4-1 lead, which the bullpen immediately gave away in the top of the eighth with a bases loaded single, then two run-scoring walks. New York, however, would bounce back in the bottom half on a Wilson Ramos go-ahead single that held up for the 5-4 win.
August 19, 2020 @ Marlins: A week prior, also against Miami, deGrom allowed no runs, no walks and just four hits while striking out seven over six innings. The bullpen took over in the bottom of the seventh with a 2-0 lead, and by the end of the eighth it was a 3-3 game after a bases loaded hit-by-pitch and walk. The Mets, however, would win it 5-3 thanks to Michael Conforto's two-run home run in the top of the ninth.
August 26, 2019 vs Braves: Seven innings of four-hit, one-run ball with a walk and 13 strikeouts went to waste, but this one wasn't the bullpen's fault. The offense mustered just six hits in a 14-inning affair - in fact, the only run of the game came on a deGrom home run! - allowing the Braves to win it in the 14th on a Billy Hamilton single.
July 31, 2019 @ White Sox: Another double-digit strikeout performance, in seven innings deGrom struck out 11 while walking two, allowing five hits and a lone run. Alas, it was a 1-1 game heading to the ninth, when the offense awakened to the tune of three runs on three hits for what became a 4-2 win.
July 19, 2019 @ Giants: Our most recent of a few 1-0 setbacks, deGrom was brilliant over seven shutout innings, allowing three hits, walking three and striking out 10. San Francisco starter Tyler Beede (career ERA: 5.27)was as good, tossing eight shutout innings of his own. Scoreless heading to extras, the Giants walked it off in the tenth on an error for the 1-0 win.
July 5, 2019 vs Phillies: deGrom was a bit worse than some of these other starts: in seven innings he had the gall to allow two runs on three hits while K'ing 10 Phils hitters. A 2-2 game when he left, Philadelphia exploded in the ninth for five runs on five hits off Edwin Diaz and Jeurys Familia to win 7-2.
June 23, 2019 @ Cubs: In Chicago deGrom actually left with a 3-2 lead after he lasted six innings, walking none and striking out nine. It did not last, as Seth Lugo gave up a go-ahead three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth to Javy Baez that gave the Cubs a 5-3 victory.
June 1, 2019 @ Diamondbacks: Allowing just a lone run in 6.2 innings, deGrom left with the Mets leading 4-1 before New York tacked on another insurance run in the top of the eighth. Alas, a four-run lead wasn't enough. Familia allowed a pair of runs in the eighth and was replaced by Robert Gsellman, who immediately gave up the game-tying homer. Arizona would walk it off in the tenth for the 6-5 win.
May 1, 2019 vs Reds: Off the heels of three straight so-so starts, deGrom was his usual dominant self against Cincinnati, throwing seven shutout innings. He was out-dueled, however, by Anthony DeSclafani, and it was a scoreless game into the ninth, when Jose Iglesias (35 home runs in 10 years) hit a solo homer off Diaz for the 1-0 Reds win.
August 28, 2018 @ Cubs: Across eight innings deGrom allowed a single run on eight hits with 10 strikeouts, but it was a 1-1 contest when the game was suspended. Finished the next day, Chicago won in 11 innings on a Ben Zobrist walk-off single.
August 3, 2018 vs Braves: Another eight-inning effort, deGrom allowed two runs, two hits and a walk while striking out nine Atlanta batters... and he took the loss. Anibal Sanchez pitched a gem on the other side, the Mets mustered just two hits all game, and Atlanta won 2-1.
July 11, 2018 vs Phillies: In midst of a dominant stretch, deGrom stymied the Phillies for eight innings, not allowing a run to lower his season ERA to 1.68, but it was scoreless when he left, so he wasn't credited with a decision. Scoreless through nine innings, New York would eventually win it in the 10th on Brandon Nimmo's three-run bomb.
July 6, 2018 vs Rays: Another eight innings with nothing to show for it record-wise, deGrom allowed just four hits and a single run, but through eight it was a 1-1 game. Still, the Mets at least won the game in walk-off fashion on Jose Bautista's grand slam in the bottom of the ninth.
June 13, 2018 @ Braves: Some nerve on this guy, deGrom only went seven innings in a trip to Atlanta, allowing a single earned run while striking out seven. That run, though, was enough to give the Cy Young winner the loss, as the offense was shutout on just two hits by Mike Soroka and company for the 2-0 Atlanta victory.
June 2, 2018 vs Cubs: One of his most dominant outings of the season - which is saying something - deGrom struck out 13 Chicago hitters over seven innings, allowing a single run. Mike Montgomery matched him, though, and it went to extras tied at one. Then in the 14th the wheels fell off, as Chicago scored six runs to win 7-1.
May 28, 2018 @ Braves: In Game 1 of a doubleheader, deGrom tossed six shutout innings before finally allowing a run in the seventh, when he departed with a 2-1 lead. It would not last.
Atlanta tied things in the eighth, New York took a lead in the top of the ninth, and then Charlie Culberson gave the Braves the 4-3 win on a walk-off two-run blast off Seth Lugo.
May 23, 2018 vs Marlins: Over seven innings deGrom didn't allow a run, struck out eight and allowed just six baserunners, but it was just a 1-0 Mets lead when he left, and it didn't hold up. Miami plated a pair of runs in the top of the ninth on singles by JT Realmuto and Starlin Castro, and the Marlins won it 2-1.
April 21, 2018 @ Braves: In yet another trip to Atlanta, deGrom punched out 10 in seven shutout innings, and he was in line for the win when the Mets took a 3-0 lead in the top of the eighth. But two runs in the bottom half off Jerry Blevins and two more in the ninth against Familia handed Atlanta a 4-3 walk-off victory.