Jacob deGrom to Skip All-Star Game


The Mets’ Jacob deGrom showed once again why he’s the best pitcher in baseball on Wednesday. After allowing Luis Urias of Milwaukee to have a leading home run, he rushed the Brewers once again in seven innings, no marching, and 10 strikes. His run average actually rose—to 1.08—but the Mets won the game, a double-headed first, 4-3, in eight strokes.

But after the game, deGrom said he’d dedicate his dazzling performances to the Mets. He said he had decided to decline the invitation to the All-Star Game to be held at Coors Field in Denver on Tuesday, where he would most certainly be the starting player of the National League and perhaps face the home side leader of the majors. Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles AngelsHe was selected as both a pitcher and a designated hitter for the American League team.

“It’s a great honor to be selected for the All-Star Game, but I’m just going to take this time and spend it with my family and be healthy for the second half,” he said. “A four-time star. It’s best for me and this team not to go to the second half and not rest.”

DeGrom has made 15 starts this season with 146 strokes and just 11 walks, but suffered minor injuries to his back, flexor tendon and shoulder. He said he hopes right-handed Taijuan Walker has a teammate take his place. A nine-year veteran who was never an All-Star, Walker finished 7-3 with a 2.44 ERA in his first season as the Met.

“It deserves to go 100 percent,” DeGrom said.

Each team must have an All-Star representative, but that player is not necessarily active for the game. So while the Mets don’t have All-Stars other than deGrom, the league doesn’t have to replace him with one of their teammates.

DeGrom hit a milestone Wednesday, recording his 1,500th career hit in just his 198th career game. Just one pitcher has scored 1,500 goals in fewer games: San Diego Padres’ Yu Darvish, who made it in his 197th career game last month. DeGrom broke a smile on the mound after describing what Francisco Lindor had done to him.

“Actually I didn’t know I was this close to 1,500 until Lindor said, ‘Throw the ball in’ – and then I looked up and said, ‘Oh, wow,'” deGrom said. “It was very special.”



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