It all justifies DeGrom confidently declaring during spring training that he would be waiving the final year of his contract with the Mets and he stuck to it, thanks in large part to a career-high 11 strikeouts per nine innings pitched, and an unassailable piece from 2018-19 that earned him consecutive National League Cy Young Awards.
Elbow inflammation limited him to 15 starts and 92 innings in 2021, and after July 7, he did not pitch.
But he’s as dominant as ever: deGrom retired 14.3 best hitters per nine innings in both 2021 and ’22, posting a 0.63 whip over those 26 starts, though he hit 1.5 home runs per nine in his career had to take. innings in 11 appearances last year.
