Mets ace, DeLand native Jacob deGrom strikes out 6 in 3 scoreless innings against Tortugas

DAYTONA BEACH — Making his first professional appearance in Volusia County, New York Mets ace and DeLand native Jacob deGrom delivered his trademark pitching dominance and delighted a sellout, hometown crowd Friday night.

The two-time National League Cy Young Award winner struck out six in three scoreless innings against the Daytona Tortugas, the Low-A minor league affiliate of the Cincinnati  Reds. deGrom made his second scheduled rehab start after missing the first three months of the season due to a stress reaction in his right scapula.

"It was really cool, how many people came out tonight," said deGrom, who pitched in front of his parents, wife, kids, sisters, brothers-in-law and extended family. "Growing up around here, seeing the support from this community is awesome."

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In total, deGrom threw 36 pitches — 21 fastballs, 15 sliders and 29 for strikes. Fastball command, he said, was the focus of the evening.

As expected, deGrom breezed through a perfect first. Eleven of his 14 pitches went for strikes, topping out at 101 mph on a swinging strike three to Jamal O'Guinn. The two-time Cy Young winner's slider maxed out at 94 mph, and consistently sat in the 92-93 range.

Austin Callahan, however, crushed a double off deGrom with one out in the second, striking the top of the wall in right center. The right-handed veteran responded by forcing a quick groundout to second, and striking out Yassel Pino on three pitches.

Daytona's hitters put six balls in play against deGrom, a feat the Jupiter Hammerheads failed to accomplish Sunday. Five of Jupiter's six batters struck out in deGrom's 2022 debut; the other reached on a hit by pitch.

Jack Rogers and Steven Leyton — the top two hitters in the Tortugas' order — produced back-to-back softly hit singles in the third, but deGrom blew O'Guinn away with a 99 mph heater to end his evening.

"I feel really good," deGrom said. "It's step-by-step, but I have been following the process, how it was laid out and trying not to do too much. Everything feels good. … I responded really well and was able to go out there and throw three innings tonight. Hopefully, I'll keep moving forward like this and be back in the big leagues before too long."

The 34-year-old deGrom grew up less than 30 miles from historic Jackie Robinson Ballpark on City Island. He attended Calvary Christian Academy in nearby Ormond Beach, and starred collegiately at Stetson — originally as an infielder, and then as a weekend starter for the Hatters.

New York selected deGrom in the ninth round of the 2010 MLB Draft, and he debuted in the big leagues four years later — capturing the NL's Rookie of the Year award.

He's since added four All-Star nominations and back-to-back Cy Young trophies in 2018 and '19. deGrom led the league in ERA in 2018 (1.70) and has twice topped the majors in strikeouts.

Despite deGrom's absence, the Mets have remained in first place in the NL East for the majority of the first half. New York entered Friday with a 52-31 record, 3½ games clear of reigning World Series champion Atlanta for the top spot in the division.

Prized offseason acquisition Max Scherzer (oblique strain) returned Tuesday from his extended absence, tossing six scoreless innings with 11 Ks in a 1-0 loss to the Cincinnati Reds.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Jacob deGrom returns home, makes rehab start against Daytona Tortugas