De Best

 
He may have trimmed back the long hair since 2017, but otherwise it was business as usual for the man who wears #48.

Jacob de Grom put a large boldfaced explanation point next to his status as baseball's best pitcher. Wednesday night, the best pitcher in the game toyed with the Marlins, striking out a career-high 14 while holding Miami to three hits and a walk in seven dominating innings. And in the league without a DH, he contributed with a bat in his hand -- crushing a Trevor Richards pitch for a 3rd inning home run as the Mets built a 6-0 lead.

While Mickey Callaway's middle relief turned a laugher into a nail-biter before closer Edwin Diaz was rushed in to get the final out in the 9th, the Mets posted the W. That brought a successful conclusion to a season-opening road trip with five wins in six games.

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