Jacob deGrom makes start, allows no runs and one hit in Mets’ Game 1 win over Atlanta

It seems as if every time he takes the mound, Jacob deGrom adds to his mythos. Lowest WHIP through 12 starts of all time? Check. Best earned run average by a long shot? Also check. Consistency, despite two scary-sounding injuries? He’s got that in the bag, too.

But perhaps just as impressive as the 100-mph fastballs at 33 years old is the fact that Monday proved that he was doing it clean. DeGrom, not missing a start despite suffering from shoulder inflammation his last time out, was the testing ground for MLB’s new foreign substance policy. He was checked twice during the Mets’ 4-2 win over Atlanta in Game 1 of a doubleheader — umpires examined his glove, cap and belt — and both times came away unbothered, even laughing at the absurd optics.

“Honestly, I didn’t mind it,” deGrom said. “It was quick and it went pretty easy.”

And it wasn’t as if he was suffering from the absence of Spider Tack or whatever other concoction pitchers use to better grip the ball: He allowed no runs and one hit with six strikeouts and an atypical two walks over five innings, routinely hitting 100 mph on his fastball. He was pulled after 70 pitches as a precaution but did notice he began flying open in later innings. His ERA is 0.50 and he hasn’t allowed a run in his last 30 innings. The club record for scoreless innings is 32 2⁄3 set by R.A. Dickey in his 2012 Cy Young season.

DeGrom’s first 12 starts are among the best ever: His ERA is tied for second dating to when earned runs became official in 1912 (NL) and 1913 (AL), and his WHIP (0.51) and opposing batting average (.113) are best.

“I felt good. I think that’s why we decided that that 70-pitch mark, to say that was enough,” deGrom said. “Didn’t want to overdo it and talking to Hef pitching coach Jeremy Hefner] and Luis [Rojas] in between, they said they thought it was enough . . . I’ve said it before. I do not like coming out of baseball games. Hopefully, that last one was the last time this year.”

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And it helps that he seems to have some magical healing ability that allows him to come out every five days, despite a number of ailments. First, it was flexor tendinitis in his right elbow, which threatened to cost him a start but did not. And then it was shoulder inflammation, which shortened one of his outings but didn’t knock him out for more than that.

The Mets scored in the first, thanks to some heads-up baserunning by Jonathan Villar. Villar led off the inning with a walk, moved to second on a sacrifice, made it to third on a flyout and scored on a wild pitch.

Atlanta’s only hit against deGrom came in the fifth. Kevan Smith’s fly ball to deep left-center appeared catchable, but a miscommunication between Albert Almora Jr. and Dominic Smith allowed the ball to drop for a ground-rule double.

Smith made up for it in the bottom of the fifth with a three-run double.

The Braves got two back off Seth Lugo in the sixth on Ozzie Albies’ homer to right.

Afterward, Rojas said he wasn’t sure if deGrom would be a full go for his next outing, though Monday’s performance was encouraging. “Going through the game, you’re definitely paying attention to each pitch,” Rojas said. “There were definitely some that sailed, which was unusual for him.”

Lucchesi has torn UCL. Joey Lucchesi, who was on the injured list with elbow inflammation, has a tear in his UCL and could require Tommy John surgery, according to a source . . . Robert Gsellman (right lat strain) and Jeurys Familia (right hip impingement) were put on the injured list.

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Laura Albanese is a general assignment sports reporter; she began at Newsday in 2007 as an intern.