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Mets' inability to provide deGrom run support is historically bad

Jason Getz / USA TODAY Sports

For yet another time this season, the New York Mets weren't able to muster any offense on Wednesday in support of ace Jacob deGrom, and their inadequacy is putting him in a select group.

DeGrom's five consecutive starts of allowing two runs or fewer over at least seven innings pitched without the team winning hasn't happened since 1999, when Randy Johnson received similarly poor support from the Arizona Diamondbacks.

DeGrom owns a 1.25 ERA over the historic span. Here are the box scores for his last five starts:

Opp. IP H BB K ER Result
Marlins 7 4 2 8 0 2-1 Loss
Braves 7 5 3 8 1 4-3 Loss
Cubs 7 7 2 13 1 7-1 Loss
Yankees 8 4 2 8 2 4-1 Loss
Braves 7 7 0 7 1 2-0 Loss

The Mets have produced just six runs during that period. In deGrom's most recent effort, the Atlanta Braves shutout New York while rookie starter Mike Soroka carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning.

Prior to Wednesday's game, Mets skipper Mickey Callaway said he has noticed a different morale in the dugout after deGrom's starts, according to Lindsey Adler of The Athletic. Following this latest embarrassing outing, Mets third baseman Todd Frazier, who went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts, said he apologized to deGrom.

Aside from deGrom and Johnson, the frustration of five-plus straight solid starts that went unrewarded has occurred 23 other times. The most recent prior to the Big Unit came back in 1943, according to Baseball-Reference's Play Index.

Heading into Wednesday's games, the Mets offense ranked 24th in the majors according to wRC+, with the second-worst slugging percentage next to the Miami Marlins.

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