Jacob deGrom sets ERA record through first nine starts

Jacob deGrom is on fire this season and is well on his way to earning another Cy Young Award. Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Mets ace Jacob deGrom sets MLB record for lowest ERA through first nine starts

By Erin Walsh | Last updated 6/6/21

Jacob deGrom continues to etch his name into the record books this season.

The New York Mets ace dazzled against the San Diego Padres on Saturday at Petco Park, striking out 11 batters and allowing only three hits on 85 pitches. The outing lowered his ERA to 0.62, a new record for the lowest ERA through a pitcher's first nine starts of a season.

"It's impressive, I have never seen anything like it," Mets manager Luis Rojas said of deGrom's run this season. "You know you are watching something special."

DeGrom is now just the second pitcher since 1901 to have at least 90 strikeouts while allowing 25 hits or fewer in a nine-game span, according to MLB.com's Sarah Langs:

9-game span with 90+ strikeouts and 25 or fewer hits allowed, single-season since at least 1901:

2021 Jacob deGrom
2004 Johan Santana (2 overlapping spans)
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) June 6, 2021

The 32-year-old has also allowed one earned run or fewer in each of his nine starts this year. He's now drawing comparisons to some of the best pitchers in baseball history, including Bob Gibson and Pedro Martinez.

Through 9 starts:

Jacob deGrom, 2021: 58 IP, 25 H, 8 BB, 93 K, 3 HR, 0.62 ERA

Bob Gibson, 1968: 80.2 IP, 54 H, 20 BB, 57 K, 2 HR, 1.34 ERA

Pedro Martinez, 2000: 68.1 IP, 40 H, 14 BB, 95 K, 3 HR, 1.19 ERA

Arguably the two best seasons ever, and deGrom is off to a better start.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) June 6, 2021

DeGrom leads the majors in ERA (0.62), WHIP (0.569), strikeouts per nine innings (14.43),and strikeout-to-walk ratio (11.63). Opponents are hitting just .128 against him, the lowest average over his eight-year career.

At this point, deGrom is well on his way to earning another Cy Young Award. He previously won the award in back-to-back seasons in 2018 and 2019.

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