Every time Jacob deGrom takes the mound these days, a wave of anticipation rises across the baseball world. Will he strike out 20 batters? Could he throw a no-hitter? A perfect game?
All of that seems entirely plausible, especially this year, in which deGrom has burst off the starting blocks at a record-setting pace. His 100-mile-per-hour fastball, combined with a vicious slider and changeup, have vaulted him to the top of the pitching mountain, and each one of his starts has become compulsory viewing for fans — if only to avoid missing a historic performance.
But deGrom is a superstar, not a superhero, and there are times when this seeming immortal-in-the-making is merely excellent, instead of sensational.