WASHINGTON _ Since the beginning of the season, Jacob deGrom has been candid about his desire to win a third consecutive National League Cy Young Award. He never backed off that personal goal, even if he always made sure to say his main goal _ the team one _ was to win a World Series.
DeGrom almost certainly will not achieve the personal goal, even if he had a stellar season by a normal pitcher's standards.
He also will not have an opportunity to accomplish the second, as the Mets lost to the Nationals, 4-3, in Game 1 of Saturday's doubleheader, officially eliminating them from postseason contention. The Mets will sit out October for the fourth season in a row.
Miraculously, the Mets entered Saturday still breathing _ if only barely.
With their season on the line _ needing to win out, with help from other teams _ they had their ace on the mound. Who better to pitch a must-win game?
DeGrom did not deliver the type of dominant performance that's defined his career. He allowed three runs over five innings. Two times, his offense provided him with a two-run lead.
The right-hander, who hardly ever allows more than two runs, could not shut down the Nationals. He is far from the reason the Mets missed the postseason, though.
They had other issues _ lack of quality starts, failure to collect timely hits, too many baserunning blunders and defensive miscues. Many things doomed this team.
In the end, they dug themselves too big a hole in a shortened season.
You figured the Mets' best path to victory was for deGrom to go the distance in this seven-inning game.
It did not happen.
Miguel Castro began the sixth inning for the Mets. He walked the leadoff man, then allowed a single.
After a strikeout, the Mets went to Edwin Diaz with runners on the corners and one out.
The first batter Diaz faced, Josh Harrison, lined a run-scoring hit. The Nationals led for the first time all game, and the Mets had only three outs to save their season.
Until then, it seemed like the Mets had a great chance to win.
In the third inning, Wilson Ramos, who has struggled all season, blasted a two-run homer off Max Scherzer to begin the scoring. After Washington's Andrew Stevenson homered off deGrom, Amed Rosario _ replacing Andres Gimenez, who left the game with right oblique tightness _ hit a homer that gave the Mets another two-run lead.
New York couldn't hang on, though.
Make no mistake: deGrom had a terrific season. The fact he probably will not win a third straight Cy Young should not change that.
He finished the season with a 2.38 ERA over 68 innings. He struck out 104 batters. On Saturday, he also capped his season by throwing the fastest pitch of his career, a 102.2 mph fastball to Juan Soto in the first inning.
He consistently amazes. His greatness is such that this season might seem like a down year for him. Yet, using perspective, you notice that any other pitcher would consider this a tremendous campaign.
