New York Mets ace Jacob deGrom has become known as much for his unfortunate lack of run support as being the best pitcher in baseball.
But make no mistake about it, deGrom is headed for Cooperstown. In fact, he could be one of the five best pitchers in MLB history when all is said and done.
Sound like a reach? It might be. However, deGrom revealed to ESPN's Jeff Passan he intends to pitch into his 40s.
Considering the tall right-hander has somehow managed to gain velocity in his 30s, he seems like a strong candidate to dominate the rest of his 30s and perhaps even into his next decade. That could most certainly lead to deGrom being included among the very best pitchers in the history of the game.
Let's dive in a little deeper.
The accolades
For starters, deGrom already has some of the accolades to lay claim to being one of the best pitchers in MLB history.
The Florida native is a former National League Rookie of the Year. He won an ERA title in 2018, which was also the first of back-to-back NL Cy Young Awards. Just 22 pitchers, including deGrom, have won multiple Cy Youngs.
Here's another interesting nugget: deGrom currently ranks fourth all-time and second among active starters in adjusted ERA+.
So, deGrom already has a strong resume. But this is also a guy who, at 32-years-old, only seems to be on the rise. He figures to add more accolades when it's all said and done.
Improved stuff
deGrom has probably the best arsenal in modern MLB history thanks in part to added velocity.
Indeed, DeGrom has added multiple ticks to his four-seam fastball since 2016. He leads all starters in average fastball velocity at an absurd 99.1 mph.
Why is that so important? Well, deGrom throws multiple pitches off the heater, both at 90-plus and breaking in separate directions. His slider has exceptional late action. The changeup falls off the map running down and into right-handers and away from lefties.
That incredible arsenal has helped deGrom lead the NL in strikeouts twice while also ranking towards the top of MLB in whiff rate. He usually generates soft contact, as well.
Just imagine if deGrom has sustained velocity and sharpness through his mid-30s and into his late-30s. It's entirely possible. Justin Verlander is one example of a guy who maintained strong velocity and an exceptional breaking ball late in his career.
Added context
Something to consider: Roger Clemens–third in pitcher WAR–experienced somewhat of a lull in his mid-30s before a late-career resurgence.
However, deGrom has seemingly yet to reach his peak. Indeed, his strikeouts per nine innings rose considerably from 2019 to 2020. Again, that's pretty terrifying considering he was coming off his second Cy Young campaign in 2019. He might even have won his third last summer if not for a late-season injury.
DeGrom could very well have as high a seven-year peak as any pitcher in MLB history when all is said and done. He figures to keep racking up strikeouts and awards. He might keep climbing the ERA+ leaderboard.
Baseball fans should relish every opportunity to watch deGrom go to work. He is bound to go down as one of the very best pitchers in the history of the game
Follow Us
Subscribe