Jacob deGrom Making a Strong Case for NL Cy Young Award

The reigning NL Rookie of the Year, New York Mets‘ starting pitcher Jacob deGrom,has been lights out all year. Ever since his 10 pitch, three strikeout performance in the MLB All-Star Game, deGrom seems to be better than ever. Since that point, he is 5-0 with a grand total of six runs allowed.

However, his success can be traced back since his debut last year. In 2014, deGrom burst on the scene with a 9-6 record and 2.69 ERA during rookie season. He piled up 144 strikeouts and a 1.14 WHIP in 140.1 innings, en route to capturing the NL Rookie of the Year award. Against the Marlins last year, deGrom raised some eyebrows by striking out eight consecutive batters to start the game.

More on Empire Writes Back: Weekly MLB Power Rankings

2015 has been even more impressive for deGrom. Currently sitting at a 12-6 record, he carries the second-lowest ERA in the majors at 1.98. In 154.1 innings, he has 158 strikeouts and a 0.89 WHIP. Batters are hitting a mere .196 against him and have only compiled 108 total hits. The sub-2.00 ERA is impressive, especially this late in the season, but his remarkable consistency is what stands out the most. Each time deGrom is on the mound, the team knows that it has a great chance of winning.

Aug 18, 2015; Baltimore, MD, USA; New York Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom (48) gets cheered by fans after leaving the game in the eighth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

deGrom was never really a highly touted prospect while coming up through the Mets farm system, never receiving the attention that Matt Harvey or even Noah Syndergaard got. He was a converted shortstop taken in the ninth round of the MLB draft by former-GM Omar Minaya, and has now developed into one of the best pitchers in the game.

Harvey was supposed to be the ace of the Mets pitching staff, but deGrom’s strong emergence has given the Mets two legitimate No. 1 starters. Some may even argue that deGrom has had a better first two years than Harvey did. This season has officially put him on the map, and he now looks to continue his late-season push for the NL Cy Young award.

More from New York Mets

Zack Greinke is widely speculated to be the current leader of the Cy Young vote in the National League, with his MLB-low 1.58 ERA and his earlier 45.2 straight scoreless innings streak, but I think deGrom has given himself a legitimate shot now in that race and gained major ground. His reliable performance every five days has helped the Mets reach and maintain first place in the NL East in mid-August, and this was unforeseen earlier when the Washington Nationals were projected to run away with the division.

The Dodgers, with their high payroll, were widely considered to win their division, and don’t have the same surprise as the Mets do. In a Cy Young race, I believe team expectations along with overall performance should be considered. In my opinion, the Mets’ Harvey-deGrom tandem is every bit as good as the Dodgers’ Greinke-Clayton Kershaw pair (at least for 2015).

Also On Empire Writes Back: Top 5 First Baseman In Mets’ History

In a year full of ups and downs for the Mets, deGrom has been the backbone of the pitching rotation all year long. If deGrom can continue this pace, he will make the decision tough for the NL Cy Young voters, because a strong case can be made for either player.

At the worst, he will be second in the voting results. Still, this would not be a loss for deGrom, because he is only in his second year in the majors and has already flashed Hall of Fame potential. The Mets starting rotation looks very bright for the future, and sitting there at the top is the possible 2015 NL Cy Young winner, Jacob deGrom.

Next: What trade was the most impactful of the last 20 years for the Mets?

More from Empire Writes Back

Home/New York Mets