A ‘Disappointed’ deGrom Allows One Run in Loss to Boston

The Mets’ ace allowed only three hits and struck out nine batters, but his team’s offense had absolutely nothing to offer.

Every time Jacob deGrom takes the mound these days, a wave of anticipation rises across the baseball world. Will he strike out 20 batters? Could he throw a no-hitter? A perfect game? All of that seems entirely plausible, especially this year, in which deGrom has burst off the starting blocks at a record-setting pace. His 100-mile-per-hour fastball, combined with a vicious slider and changeup, have vaulted him to the top of the pitching mountain, and each one of his starts has become compulsory viewing for fans — if only to avoid missing a historic performance. But deGrom is a superstar, not a superhero, and there are times when this seeming immortal-in-the-making is merely excellent, instead of sensational. Wednesday provided the setting for one of those games, as deGrom took a small but noticeable step down from his brilliant performance the week before yet still limited the Boston Red Sox to one run and three hits over six innings. He also struck out nine batters, for 59 punch-outs on the season.