Jacob deGrom is an All-Star again, and this time he isn't surprising anybody.
Next week in Washington, when baseball's best converge for the All-Star Game, the 30-year-old deGrom will be there for a second time, again the Mets' lone representative, just like in 2015.
Last time, he was months removed from winning NL Rookie of the Year after a surprise breakout season as a 26-year-old. He pitched the sixth inning _ and struck out all three of his batters swinging _ in what served as a debut of sorts on the national stage, a preview of what we would see that October.
Now, deGrom is a bona fide ace, a Cy Young Award contender and one of the leading candidates to get the start for the National League. He'll try to enjoy it all the same, though he hopes to spend less time making public appearances and more time with his family, including 2-year-old son Jaxon.
"It's just a cool experience. You're around the best of the best," deGrom said. "It's a couple of days you get to spend with them, get to know them, then you're back with your team competing. It's just a fun time."
DeGrom leads the majors with a 1.79 ERA and is eighth in the majors (second in the NL) in WHIP at 0.99. In the NL, he's third in opponents' slugging percentage (.297) and strikeout rate (31.2 percent).
The victim of poor run support and several blown saves, deGrom has only a 5-4 record. But he has allowed three runs or fewer in 15 consecutive starts, the longest stretch by a Met in a season since Dwight Gooden's run of 24 in 1985.
That all gives deGrom a shot at getting the start, a proxy for the Cy Young race at the halfway point. His primary competition: the Nationals' Max Scherzer, who will be pitching at his home ballpark. Scherzer has a 2.33 ERA and 0.89 WHIP, striking out 35.4 percent of his batters.
Dave Roberts _ manager of the Dodgers, last year's NL champions _ decides who will start. There is recent precedent for locale serving as a tiebreaker in determining the All-Star starter. In 2013, when the game was at Citi Field, Matt Harvey got the nod over Clayton Kershaw.
"It would be awesome," deGrom said. "That's I think the highest honor of being a pitcher in the All-Star Game, to be able to start it. We'll just see what happens."
Start or not, heading to a second All-Star Game is the latest chapter in deGrom's underdog story. He was a light-hitting college shortstop, a mid-round draft pick, a Tommy John patient. He was never much of a prospect. Now he's one of the best pitchers in the world.
"You never know what's going to happen," deGrom said. "That's kind of the same mindset I take on the mound. As long as you're giving 100 percent, you can look yourself in the mirror after that, you can be happy with what you gave out there."
No Mets were among the top five (or top 15 for outfielders) in the fan vote. Brandon Nimmo, who wasn't on the fan ballot, can still be added as an injury replacement. His .901 OPS ranks second among NL outfielders behind the Dodgers' Matt Kemp (.905).
The rest of the rosters don't include any former Mets, but there will be plenty of familiar faces from the NL East. The Marlins and Phillies, like the Mets, are sending one player each. Catcher J.T. Realmuto is representing Miami, right-hander Aaron Nola Philadelphia.
The Braves have a four-man crew, including 21-year-old second baseman Ozzie Albies and 34-year-old outfielder Nick Markakis, both first-time All-Stars. The host Nats have three players going: Scherzer, Bryce Harper and Sean Doolittle.
