“Large Jake” will likely be an enormous loss for this 12 months’s All-Star Recreation.

Jacob deGrom, two-time Cy Younger winner and de facto greatest pitcher in Main League Baseball, will not be pitching (or, extra tragically, hitting) on this 12 months’s All-Star Recreation, a lot to the chagrin of baseball followers in all places.

FAGAN: Breaking down Jacob deGrom’s a Corridor of Fame case

deGrom is placing collectively a historic season in 2021: On the morning of July 8, he leads the majors in ERA, ERA+, FIP, WHIP and Ok:BB ratio. (He additionally leads the league in FLUMP, FLIMP, CRUMP and SHUMP, however these stats are all made up.)

The Mets ace on Wednesday defined his resolution to sit down out the All-Star Recreation. This is what he mentioned.

Why is not Jacob deGrom pitching within the All-Star Recreation?

Regardless of being chosen to the 2021 All-Star Recreation, the Mets ace and NL Cy Younger front-runner mentioned that he is planning to spend the All-Star Recreation along with his household and to relaxation his physique for the second half of the season.

deGrom defined the choice on July 7:

“I’ve considered it, and clearly being named to an All-Star staff is a good honor, however I am gonna take that point and simply take pleasure in it with my household, whether or not I pitch Sunday or not,” deGrom mentioned Wednesday. “And get wholesome for the second half. Hopefully Tai (Taijuan Walker) takes my place.”

The starter is uncertain whether or not he’ll pitch Sunday, the final recreation earlier than the All-Star break. That would not play into his resolution, although.

deGrom missed a number of begins within the first half whereas coping with some nagging accidents, together with a shoulder harm that compelled him away from a begin, however he did not hit the IL at any level. 

The 33-year-old is a four-time All-Star and a two-time Cy Younger winner, and will he sustain his present ridiculous tempo, he’ll be a lock for his third by season’s finish. The Mets presently sit on the high of the middling NL East.

Walker can be a becoming substitute for deGrom, although it is unclear whether or not that is what is going on to occur: Walker, a late-offseason signing for the Mets, has been New York’s second-best starter, pitching to a 2.44 ERA by way of 15 begins.