This will be the third time after the All Star Break that Jacob deGrom is pitching in an important game against a team in the thick of the playoff race.  The first two times did not go well.

On July 23rd, the Mets were coming off a 5-3 victory against the Marlins.  If the Mets were able to win consecutive games for the first time in almost a month, the Mets would’ve jumped a half game over the Marlins and claimed the second Wild Card spot.  However, deGrom faltered in his first start after his career complete game shutout.  He allowed five earned on 10 hits in only 3.2 innings in a game the Mets lost 7-2.  Instead of being a half-game behind the Marlins, the Mets were 1.5 games back, and they have not yet caught up to the Marlins in the standings.

On August 18th, the Mets were at .500 after a terrible nine game stretch against two of the worst teams in baseball.  The Mets sent deGrom to the mound in what was supposed to be a classic pitcher’s duel against Madison Bumgarner.  Neither pitcher lived up to the billing.  For his part, deGrom would only last five innings surrendering a career high 13 hits while allowing eight earned in the Mets 10-7 loss to the Giants.  With the loss, the Mets would fall back under .500, and they would fall 4.5 games behind the Cardinals for the second Wild Card spot.

The Mets have been playing much better of late having won three in a row.  With last night’s win over the Cardinals, the Mets are a game over .500 and are 3.5 games behind the Cardinals for the second Wild Card spot.  With a win, the Mets will have won four in a row, pulled a game closer to the Cardinals, and they will have real momentum.

Tonight’s game won’t be easy.  The Mets are going against Carlos Martinez, who has been the Cardinals’ best pitcher all season.  That means deGrom is going to have to be at his best.  He hasn’t been in these situations since the All Star Break.

However, to say he isn’t capable of going out there tonight and pitching a gem tonight is absurd.  It was deGrom who started off the NLDS last year out-dueling Clayton Kershaw to give the Mets a 1-0 lead in the series.  In that game, deGrom struck out 13 Dodgers over seven shutout innings.  In Game Five of that series, deGrom had nothing, but he outlasted Zack Greinke and kept the Mets in the game over six of the gutsiest innings you will ever see a Mets pitcher throw.  In the NLCS, deGrom effectively ended the series with a dominant Game Three performance.

No matter how you slice or dice it, deGrom is a big game pitcher.  Just because he has faltered in his two chances after the All Star Break doesn’t mean he won’t go out there tonight and shut down the Cardinals.  While Noah Syndergaard could have the best stuff in all of baseball, deGrom is the Mets pitcher you trust most out there.  He is the ace of the staff.  He’s going to have a big game tonight.