Better in Theory

"The Jacob deGrom we knew and loved and were forsaken by when the money was too good to pass up elsewhere returned to Citi Field Friday night, and Jacob came home with a vengeance. Actually, Jake went about his business as he usually did as a Met. He was elegant, he was efficient, he walked off the mound with nothing to regret on his end."

"The Jonah Tong with whom we've just commenced to acquaint ourselves and we wish to embrace as part of the solution to all that ails us was the collateral damage in deGrom's homecoming. He'd looked so ready to rock against the Marlins and Reds. He did rock in those starts, one a win, one a loss, but both revelations in their own manner."

"The Rangers were immune to Tong's talents. One struck out against him. One flied out. The other seven reached base. He faced all nine only once. Two walks preceded four two-out hits, two before and two after another walk. It didn't feel as if balls were being whacked unmercifully, but it did feel like the pitcher was. None of it felt good."

Jacob deGrom returned to Citi Field and delivered an efficient, elegant outing, walking off the mound with nothing to regret while receiving eight runs of offensive support. He resembled his peak Mets form aside from wearing TEXAS on his chest. Jonah Tong, a 22-year-old Mets pitching prospect, struggled against the Rangers after promising starts versus the Marlins and Reds. Tong's first inning unraveled: he faced numerous baserunners, threw forty pitches with twenty balls, and issued multiple walks mixed with timely hits by opponents. The contrast underscored deGrom's veteran command and Tong's ongoing developmental needs.

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