The Texas Rangers have turned things around over the last month, going from potential sellers to hopeful buyers at the MLB trade deadline. As the reigning World Series champs inch closer to a .500 record, the team received a positive update on injured starter Jacob deGrom.
The 35-year-old ace will join the Rangers in St. Louis where Texas has a three-game series beginning Monday. Rangers’ manager Bruce Bochy says deGrom will get two more bullpen sessions in before he goes on a rehab assignment, per Shawn McFarland of the Dallas Morning News on X.
deGrom has yet to make his 2024 debut with the Rangers as the pitcher recovers from the Tommy John surgery that ended his first season with Texas after just 30.1 innings. The Rangers signed deGrom to a five-year, $185 million contract prior to the 2023 season. He started that year strong, posting a 2.67 ERA, 0.758 WHIP and 13.5 K/9 but was only able to make six starts before tearing his UCL and going under the knife.
When healthy, deGrom is undoubtedly one of baseball’s best pitchers. However, injuries have had a major impact on his career as the dominant righty hasn’t made more than 15 starts since 2019 when he won the second of his two career Cy Young Awards.
In 2021, deGrom was selected to his fourth All-Star game. He posted elite stats including a 1.08 ERA, 0.554 WHIP and an ERA+ of 373. But his season ended prematurely as he landed on the injured list in August with right elbow inflammation and wouldn’t appear again that year. Incredibly, despite pitching just 92 innings in 15 starts, deGrom still finished ninth in Cy Young voting.
The Rangers plan for ace pitcher Jacob deGrom’s return from injury
The following season, deGrom was sidelined with a shoulder ailment in spring training and wouldn’t make his first start until August. He ultimately pitched 64.1 innings in 11 2022 starts and posted a 3.08 ERA – the second highest of his career.
The Rangers’ defense of their 2023 World Series title has not gone as planned. The team got off to a slow start and appeared primed to become sellers at the MLB trade deadline. However, Texas has won 13 of 20 games since July 1. The team now sits just 3.5 games behind the first-place Houston Astros in the AL West.
While a Wild Card berth is unlikely as the Rangers are 6 games out of the final spot, Texas could realistically win the division as both the Astros and the Seattle Mariners have faced their own issues this season. And a healthy deGrom at the top of the rotation would go a long way toward helping the Rangers with a second-half push.
After six consecutive losing seasons, the Rangers grabbed a Wild Card spot last season and ended up winning the title. So Texas is well aware that anything can happen once a team makes the playoffs. And regardless of any additions the Rangers might make at the trade deadline, the team will be getting reinforcements in the form of players returning from injury.
Max Scherzer made his season debut in the Rangers’ rotation in late June and, in addition to deGrom, the team is expecting to have starting pitcher Tyler Mahle and third baseman Josh Jung back in action soon. Unfortunately, promising young outfielder Evan Carter's return is still up in the air.
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