Command woes at root of deGrom’s struggles

ST. LOUIS — Terry Collins was sitting in his office chair earlier this week, brushing aside concern over Jacob deGrom’s career-worst start in San Francisco, when he acknowledged an uncomfortable truth clouding the Mets’ postseason chase.

“Right now, we’re leaning on those three guys that we started out the year with,” Collins said, referring to starting pitchers Noah Syndergaard, Bartolo Colon and deGrom. “They’re the guys that certainly, when they go out there, they’ve got to give us maximum innings.”

With injuries to Matt Harvey and Steven Matz crippling the Mets’ uber-rotation, Syndergaard did his part Sunday night, beating the Giants to send the Mets to the Midwest on a high note. Colon has done his bit all season, giving the Mets the type of consistency they haven’t always found elsewhere. But deGrom has struggled during the season’s most critical stretch, giving up another five runs on 12 hits Wednesday in the Mets’ 8-1 loss to the Cardinals. That increased his total to 13 runs on 25 hits over his last 6 2/3 innings, ballooning his ERA from 2.24 to 2.96.

In his first 21 starts, deGrom gave up 34 earned runs. Over his last two, he has allowed a baker’s dozen.

“It’s hard …

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