Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom allowed four runs on five hits in five innings of work in New York's 4-3 loss to the Cubs on Monday.
DeGrom struggled in the very first inning when he allowed back-to-back home runs to Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo for three runs. Then in the fourth, deGrom surrendered an RBI single to Addison Russell.
"It boils down to location," deGrom said. "Tonight I struggled with it and I think that kind of gets me off my game plan. I can't throw the pitches I want for strikes and make some mistakes over the plate and they seem to hit a long way."
DeGrom, now 3-4, moved his ERA to 3.46 in 41 2/3 innings of work. He will look to get back on track Saturday against the Brewers.
"I saw that tonight for the first time," manager Terry Collins said. "But you've also got to also understand, he really hasn't struggled like this before. So we've got to get him through it and we've got to get that confidence back, still trust in his stuff and make pitches with it."