Jacob deGrom dazzled in his first major league start in more than a year, allowing one run on three hits and striking out six in five innings before a bullpen meltdown cost the Mets in a 5-1 loss to the Nationals on Tuesday night.

Sidelined for the second half of last season by an elbow injury and shut down late in spring training because of a stress reaction in his right scapula, deGrom got a standing ovation from a crowd full of Mets fans prior to his first game back in almost 13 months.