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NEW YORK — The Texas Rangers visited Citi Field two years ago in late summer. They were on their way to a World Series title and left Jacob deGrom behind. He had recently undergone Tommy John surgery, and he’s unsure if his elbow was still in a brace. Either way, it was safer to avoid rowdy dugouts.
“It’s kind of ‘Stay out of the way so you don’t get a random high five,’” deGrom said on Friday night, with a smile. “It’s probably not good.”
This time, there were high fives and hugs and a video tribute to the greatest Mets pitcher of the past three decades. DeGrom earned all of it with seven tidy innings in an 8-3 victory that showed why the Rangers have mounted an unlikely playoff push while the Mets might be blowing their chance.
The Mets have lost seven games in a row and 10 of their past 13, barely hanging onto a postseason spot in the National League. The Rangers have won 17 of their past 24, a feisty bunch of Little Rascals piled on each other’s shoulders, stretching to reach the American League playoffs.
