DeGrom picked up a win in his season debut Saturday against the Cardinals, striking out seven and allowing one earned run on four hits and a walk over 5.2 innings.
It was a strong debut for deGrom, which should ease any worries that the back stiffness he battled during spring training would carry over into the season. The 29-year-old posted a career-high strikeout rate last season, striking out 28.9 percent of the batters he faced. He carried that over into his first start this year, recording a strikeout rate of 31.8 percent. Owners in quality starts leagues will be disappointed that deGrom was pulled with one out remaining in the sixth inning, though he had thrown 101 pitches already, so the decision was a reasonable one by manager Mickey Callaway. That slight lack of efficiency was the only blot on an otherwise strong debut from one of the better pitchers in the league.