It was a masterclass in pitching Sunday as the Texas Rangers shut out the Chicago Cubs 3-0, and all eyes were on Jacob deGrom. Heading into this series, we noted that while deGrom may no longer be the undisputed "best pitcher in baseball," he's still every bit a legitimate ace. After this performance, the Cubs might feel a bit misled—but in the best way possible.

There's something undeniably satisfying about a pitcher who keeps hitters off balance with a deep arsenal of six pitches. But there's also a special kind of beauty in a pitcher who simply overwhelms you with elite stuff, MC Hammer-style. DeGrom did exactly that, relying heavily on his fastball and slider to carve through the Chicago lineup.

Of his 94 pitches, 44 were fastballs. The Cubs swung 26 times at them, whiffing 12 times, fouling off eight, and putting just six into play. None of those six resulted in a hit. Statcast reveals just how untouchable those fastballs were, with expected batting averages (xBAs) of .010, .030, .010, .010, .140, and .180. Even the three "hard-hit" balls had launch angles of 69, 43, and 64 degrees—essentially pop-ups that any pitcher would gladly accept.

Then came the slider. DeGrom threw 39 of them, drawing 22 swings, 10 whiffs, six fouls, and six balls in play. The only hit off his slider was a sixth-inning single by Nico Hoerner. For good measure, he mixed in eight changeups (one hit allowed), two curveballs (both called strikes), and one sinker (a double by Hoerner—after which deGrom wisely shelved it).

The final line: 7 innings, 3 hits, 0 walks, 10 strikeouts. Unlike Saturday's game, where the Cubs had runners everywhere but couldn't score, Sunday was a different story—Chicago managed just three baserunners all game. They went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position, with three of those opportunities coming in the fourth inning after Hoerner led off with a double.

For the Rangers, it was a dominant display of pitching precision. For the Cubs, it was a reminder that even a "slightly diminished" deGrom is still a force to be reckoned with. And for baseball fans? It was a joy to watch.