Jacob deGrom alarms Mets with how hard he’s throwing

PORT ST. LUCIE — Jacob deGrom allowed a run in the first inning Sunday and was then removed from his initial Grapefruit League start of 2019, leaving the reigning National League Cy Young award winner with an ugly 9.00 ERA to begin the spring.

So what the heck is wrong with Jacob deGrom?

“I have got some work to do,” deGrom said, laughing, on a day the Mets lost 10-1 to the Astros at First Data Field. “But the main thing was just going out there and feeling good.”

The right-hander teamed with catcher Wilson Ramos for the first time, throwing 17 pitches over five batters and allowing two hits, including an RBI single to Tyler White after Tony Kemp had doubled leading off the game.

Even somebody who led the major leagues with a 1.70 ERA last season and received 29-of-30 first-place votes in becoming the fourth pitcher in franchise history to win the Cy Young Award had jitters heading into Sunday.

“I think everybody is like that,” deGrom said. “You want to go out there and be able to repeat what I did last year. That’s going to be tough to do, but the way I am looking at it: Hey, it’s a new year, just prepare like you did last year and go compete for this team. That’s kind of my mindset: Go out and give 100 percent and control what I can control.”

DeGrom came out firing 97 mph with his fastball, which alarmed manager Mickey Callaway — who later acknowledged it’s difficult for pitchers to hold back with their velocity.

“I’m sure [Monday] it’s going to be 100 and I am going to be panicking,” Callaway said, referring to Noah Syndergaard’s first start of the spring. “But that’s who these guys are, they are such competitors, and their arms are ridiculous. They are not overthrowing to go get that, it’s nice and easy, but it still scares a manager or pitching coach when you see that velocity.”

DeGrom said he began playing catch in October, earlier than he normally would, hoping to retain the mechanics that carried him through his magical season.

But deGrom is also realistic enough to know that an extended timeframe removed from the pitching mound makes it difficult to just continue the same arm action from 2018.

Asked what he can improve on from last season, deGrom struggled to find an answer.

“Looking back, it was kind of a crazy year,” he said. “Probably control the running game. I didn’t focus a whole lot on that last year. Things I want to repeat, when runners get on base, second and third, getting some big outs. But things I can get better on that’s kind of a tough question because I feel like looking back on last year, it was kind of crazy how it went.”

As he seeks a long-term contract with the club, deGrom arrived at camp saying he won’t negotiate with team officials once the regular season begins. DeGrom, who is under club control through 2020, also at the time said he would have to discuss with his agents whether he should reduce his workload this year to prepare for possible free agency if he doesn’t receive a new contract by Opening Day.

But deGrom now says he is finished talking publicly about his contract situation.

“Right now my focus is just on getting ready for the season,” deGrom said. “Any of those questions, [general manager] Brodie [Van Wagenen] is around, I guess that is the best way to go about that.”

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