NEW YORK — Jacob deGrom received a gift in his Citi Field return: not just a video tribute but a six-run lead before he threw a pitch.
A montage of the slender star’s highlights flashed across the ballpark video board Friday night as he started to throw long toss to Lynard Skynyrd’s “Simple Man,” his old warmup song. He tipped his cap as “Welcome back Jacob” flashed in large letters.
“I looked at it for a second, then I had to kind of look down, gather myself and continue playing catch to get ready for the game,” he said after pitching the soaring Texas Rangers over the skidding New York Mets 8-3.
A two-time Cy Young Award winner who went 82-57 in nine seasons for the Mets, DeGrom gave up three runs in the third inning on a homer and a pair of sacrifice flies but steadied to retire his final 15 batters. He allowed four hits over seven innings and is 12-7 with a 2.82 ERA in a season in which he earned his fifth All-Star selection and first since 2021.
“The mound felt the exact same,” he said.
DeGrom had not been to Citi Field since leaving the Mets in December 2022 for a $185 million, five-year contract with the Rangers. His return was a focal point since the schedule was issued in July 2024.
“I wanted a chance to pitch here,” he said.
DeGrom went back to the batting cage behind the dugout while the Rangers knocked out rookie Josh Tong after two outs in a 22-minute top of the first. DeGrom averaged 98 mph with his fastball, topping at 99.6 mph. He induced 14 outfield putouts, three more than his previous career high.
“They just hit the bottom of the baseball,” he said. “They go up.”
DeGrom’s 2.14 regular-season ERA at Citi Field is the second-lowest for a pitcher since 1920 throwing at least 500 innings at a ballpark, trailing only Sandy Koufax’s 1.37 at Dodger Stadium.
“He was a show. He was the guy that people came to the ballpark to watch him pitch,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said.
DeGrom, who turned 37 in June, won the 2014 NL Rookie of the Year and 2018 and ’19 NL Cy Youngs with the Mets. He is the franchise leader in ERA (2.52), WHIP (.998) and strikeouts per nine innings (10.91) among pitchers with at least 500 innings.
Given his time in New York, deGrom felt strange to face former teammates Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil.
“He’s always going to come after you with everything he’s got and always respected that about him when he was here,” said Nimmo, who gave his old pal a pat on the back after the pitcher beat him to the first-base bag for the final out of the sixth.
His parents, sisters, wife and kids were in the ballpark.
“They were here when I made my debut so they wanted to come back up for this and be a part of it,” he said of the adults.
DeGrom smiled when asked how he’d feel about the Mets eventually retiring his No. 48, saying it wasn’t his decision but would “be a huge honor.”
DeGrom’s final two seasons in New York were shortened by injuries. He limited to 26 starts in 2021-22 because of right side tightness, his ’21 season ended before the All-Star break by right forearm tightness and his 2022 debut delayed until August by a right shoulder injury.
DeGrom opted out of his Mets contract after the 2022 season, giving up a $30.5 million salary, for 2023. He made just six starts and had Tommy John surgery for the second time that June 12.
“You try not to let doubt set in.” he said. “Every day you get to put this uniform on, I’m thankful for that.”
He didn’t return to the big leagues until Sept. 13 last season.
“Taking the mound for the three starts last year was huge for me,” he said. “I was able to say, hey, I got back out there. Now I can prepare like a normal offseason.”
DeGrom has been his old self this year, with a 97.5 mph fastball velocity that is second in the major leagues behind Paul Skenes’ 98.2 mph for those throwing at least 1,000 pitches. DeGrom retired Baltimore’s first 18 batters on June 25 before Colton Cowser’s leadoff single in the seventh.
He is 96-64 with a 2.55 ERA and 0.99 WHIP, best among pitchers with at least 1,000 innings since the live ball era started in 1920.
“Just the way he’s bouncing back off his starts, there’s no reason why he won’t pitch in his 40s,” Bochy said.
DeGrom might generate Hall of Fame consideration if he pitches five or six more years at this level.
“Maybe. We’ll see,” he said. “My goal is to just keep it going.”
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