5 best Mets WHIP seasons by a starting pitcher

WHIP is one of those simple statistics that tells us a lot about a pitcher. Measuring the number of walks and hits allowed per 9 innings of work, it can help give us a clearer picture of which New York Mets pitchers had some even better seasons even if the ERA wasn’t one of the greatest.

The top five WHIP seasons by Mets starting pitchers are surprisingly not as obvious as it may seem.

5) Best NY Mets WHIP: Jacob deGrom 0.956 in 2020 – Honorable Mention

Okay, so are we going to count the 2020 season? Those statistics are official but in a shortened season, it’s difficult to take some numbers all that seriously. Dominic Smith’s slugging percentage that year is the best in franchise history after all.

Jacob deGrom posted a 0.956 WHIP in 2020. It was across only 68 innings. As fantastic as it was, it didn’t even lead the league in that funky season. Let’s call this more of an honorable mention to no fault of deGrom.

5) Best NY Mets WHIP: Dwight Gooden 0.965 in 1985

This is the REAL top five season. It’s surprisingly not as high as one might expect. Dwight Gooden’s 1985 campaign set multiple franchise records and remains one of the greatest pitched seasons for any ball club in the live ball era. His 0.965 WHIP is masterful yet not quite good enough to be any higher than fifth on the list.

4) Best NY Mets WHIP: Pedro Martinez 0.949 in 2005

Who realized Pedro Martinez was this good in 2005? Martinez’s time with the Mets was disappointing mostly due to the injuries which followed after year one with the ball club. However, Martinez was able to offer the Mets what, at the time, became the second greatest WHIP season by a starting pitcher. The 0.949 fell just shy of a long-held record.

3) Best NY Mets WHIP: Tom Seaver 0.946 in 1971

You can’t do a list of Mets records and not mention Tom Seaver, can you? His best WHIP with the team came in 1971 when it settled in at 0.946. Those familiar with Seaver’s career already know this was the snub season when he didn’t even win the Cy Young despite leading the league with more than just the WHIP. Tom Terrific set multiple career-bests and still lost on the ballot to Ferguson Jenkins.

2) Best NY Mets WHIP: Matt Harvey 0.931 in 2013

Blink and you will have missed Matt Harvey’s time as one of the best pitchers in baseball. It felt over before it started. When he was at the top of his game, Harvey was one of the best we’ve ever had. His 2013 season included a 0.931 WHIP. We all remember his season being good. How many of us realized, at least in this statistic, it was this great?

1) Best NY Mets WHIP: Jacob deGrom 0.912 in 2018

The 2018 performance by Jacob deGrom snuck up on us quickly. His haircut seemed to do a reverse Sampson. Everything clicked for him on his way to winning his first of two Cy Young Awards. deGrom finished the season with a 0.912 WHIP. It’s the best any Mets pitcher has ever had in a single year. Oddly, he was slightly bested by future teammate Max Scherzer whose 0.911 WHIP led the National League.