NEW YORK -- Prior to Thursday, the last time Madison Bumgarner toed the rubber at Citi Field, he powered through the 2016 National League Wild Card Game with what his manager recalled as "a maniacal focus." Much has changed since that brisk night two Octobers ago, when Bumgarner outdueled Noah Syndergaard to blank the Mets, adding another dominant postseason performance to a resume already full of them. A lot has changed, but not his comfortability pitching in Queens.
Flash forward to the Thursday afternoon, and another NL Cy Young Award-caliber Met, Jacob deGrom -- who is battling through one of the best pitching seasons in modern history -- stood in between Bumgarner and a win.