DeGrom’s Gem reduces its effectiveness.

Jacob deGrom continues to make history with his otherworldly start to his 2021 season.

In his second start since returning from the injured list, deGrom pitched six scoreless innings in the New York Mets’ 6-2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks, lowering his ERA to 0.71, the lowest for a qualified starter through the end of May since Chris Short had a 0.64 ERA for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1964.

The Mets ace improved to 4-2 with just four cleanup runs in 51 innings. In his eight starts, he allowed no runs three times, one run four times and three earned runs in a game at Coors Field in April. With eight strikeouts in his six innings Monday night, he now has 82 with just seven walks.

Before deGrom, the last pitcher with an ERA below 1.00 through May was the Colorado Rockies’ Ubaldo Jimenez in 2010 at 0.78.

deGrom didn’t allow a hit until the fifth inning on an Arizona night when his fastball was absolutely overpowering. Working with an extra day of rest after Sunday night’s game in which he was scheduled to pitch, four of his pitches in the first inning registered 101 mph, a velocity he had reached on only three previous pitches all season.

He finished with 27 pitches over 100 mph, the third most in a single game since 2008.

deGrom admitted that thoughts of a no-hit game entered his head after retiring the first 13 batters. The offering ended with a single by Diamondbacks catcher Carson Kelly to center field in the bottom of the fifth.

“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t, but we had discussed six innings or 85 pitches, so I think if I had a perfect game or a no-hit game yet, I would have wanted to stay in there.” ” said deGrom. “I guess when I gave up the hit, the decision was a little bit easier.”

deGrom’s eight-game hitting streak isn’t impressive just for the start of a season. Since clean runs became official in 1913, the only other pitcher with at least 80 strikeouts and an effectiveness as low as deGrom’s in an eight-game span was Chris Sale, who had 90 strikeouts with a 0.53 ERA in 51 innings in one of eight starts. spanning June through August 2018.

DeGrom even went 3-1 with an RBI at the plate, raising his season average to .450. Opponents are hitting .129 against him.

In case you were wondering: Bob Gibson had a 1.53 ERA at the end of May 1968, when he finished with a 1.12 ERA. After allowing three runs in his first June start, he then went on a run of an epic nature, allowing just three runs (all cleanup) in his next 11 starts and 99 innings (all complete games), a 0.27 ERA that lowered his season. mark to .96 by the end of July.

With a 5-0 lead going into the bottom of the seventh, manager Luis Rojas went conservative and relived deGrom after 70 pitches. For the Mets, it was their fifth straight win on a night of good news. Pete Alonso returned from a two-week stint on the injured list and towed in four runs with a two-run single and a 442-foot two-run home run in the seventh inning.

Kevin Pillar also returned from multiple facial fractures after being hit by a pitch on May 17. Wearing a plastic shield to cover his nose, Pillar entered as a defensive replacement in center field and made an excellent catch at the base of the wall, finishing 1-1 at the plate.