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After missing significant time since joining the Texas Rangers two years ago, Jacob deGrom is looking to return to form in 2025. The two-time Cy Young winner was off to a great start with an excellent spring training debut. However, his second Cactus League outing didn’t go quite as smoothly.
deGrom took the mound against the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday and went four innings, giving up two runs on four hits with two walks and three strikeouts. He threw 57 pitches. While the start was far from a disaster, deGrom didn’t feel comfortable on the mound.
“I didn't get the ball down like I wanted to with my slider… I was just missing too much in the middle of the plate. We got away with it the first time through [the order], but I was kind of fighting my mechanics a little bit today,” deGrom admitted, per Kennedi Landry of MLB.com.
“I was a little bit flying open, mainly on my landing. I just wasn't getting down, wasn't working down the mound like I normally do. We can work on that and go from there,” he added.
Jacob deGrom is working out the kinks for Rangers return
After two spring training starts, deGrom has a 3.00 ERA. He’s allowed four hits while striking out six batters in six innings of work.
deGrom signed a five-year, $185 million contract with the Rangers in 2023 but he made just nine starts in two years with the team. In 2023 he suffered a UCL tear in his right elbow and required Tommy John surgery. The recovery process kept him out most of the following year but deGrom was determined to return to the mound. He ultimately made his season debut in September, getting in three starts for the Rangers in 2024.
Now deGrom is looking to return to his Cy Young form in 2025. But so far, Texas has been cautious with the ace. Rangers manager Bruce Bochy revealed his plan to keep the 12th-year veteran fresh involves occasionally skipping starts or even placing deGrom on the IL. The hope is that Texas can figure out a strategy that allows the pitcher to stay healthy and contributing to the team throughout the season.
For his part, deGrom has varied his velocity this spring as the 36-year-old righty believes that throwing slower could be the key to a return to dominance. Earlier in his career, deGrom routinely cracked triple digits on the radar gun. In his most recent Cactus League appearance for the Rangers, he averaged a little under 96 mph on his fastball.
deGrom is willing to sacrifice some speed to locate the ball better. But perhaps more importantly, dialing back the velo reduces stress on his arm, which could help him avoid further injuries. Of course, deGrom points out, he can still throw heat. He’ll just be judicious in deciding when to dial it up.
