NEW YORK _ It's the time of year where baseball's stars either shine the brightest or they start to fade, saving their bodies and their bullets for next season.
Jacob deGrom, however, is not saving any bullets. The Mets' ace has consistently been one of the best pitchers in baseball even if his win/loss record, which stood at 6-7 on Monday going into the final game of this year's Subway Series at Yankee Stadium and the club is more than happy to let him do his thing throughout the rest of the season with minimal management. While deGrom's innings will be monitored, they won't be limited, according to manager Mickey Callaway, because that Cy Young race is about to heat up.
"I think he's probably going to experience something he's never experienced before," Callaway said. "He's going to be in a race for something else."
The former pitching coach who helped Cleveland Indians' ace Corey Kluber win two AL Cy Young awards thinks that deGrom's win-loss record shouldn't come into play. DeGrom's ability to limit runs even when he's received no support should save more than just wins and losses.
"I think if we ended the season right now, he should win it," Callaway said. "I think it's probably twice as impressive to see what he's done with the run support he's gotten compared to the pitchers who get tons of it. It's part of pitching in those high-stress situations."
The award is voted on by members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America and voting concludes prior to the start of the postseason. DeGrom will have about five more starts to bolster his resume.
