Healthy Jacob DeGrom Happy To Pay Dividends On Rangers’ Investment

Jacob deGrom’s days as an All-Star seemed to be over. Yet the Texas Rangers right-hander never lost faith.

And sure enough, deGrom will line up along the foul line on Tuesday night with the rest of the American League team before the All-Star Game at Truist Park in Atlanta.

“You have to have confidence,” deGrom said. “You can’t give up on yourself.”

It was easy to write de Grom off after a series of injuries that limited him to 35 starts over four seasons from 2021-24. It was fair to wonder if deGrom would ever come close again to the form that helped him win National League Cy Young Awards in 2018 and 2019 with the New York Mets.

Injured Plagued DeGrom For Four Seasons

DeGrom made just 15 starts for the Mets in 2021 because of side and elbow injuries. In his final season with the Mets the following year, he was limited to 11 starts after sustaining a stress reaction in the scapula of his right shoulder.

Nevertheless, the Rangers were willing to take a risk and signed deGrom to a five-year, $185-million contract during the 2022-23 offseason as a free agent. While the Rangers went on to win the World Series for the first time since 2023, deGrom was barely a factor.

DeGrom made just six starts before tearing an elbow ligament and requiring season-ending Tommy John surgery. He returned late last season to make three starts covering 10 2/3 innings.

This year, deGrom is looking like the pitcher who won the back-to-back Cy Young Awards and was positioning himself to wind up as a Hall of Famer, potentially. It might not be accurate to say life is beginning at 37 for deGrom, but he has undoubtedly been reborn this season.

“It means a lot to come back and pitch this way again,” deGrom said. “I missed this game. We give everything to play this game, and then when you’re sidelined for quite some time, it’s not fun. So, to be able to get back out during and compete, that’s what we want to do.”

DeGrom Showing Former Cy Young Form

DeGrom has been competing at a high level.

He has a 9-2 record in 19 starts and his .818 winning percentage leads the major leagues. DeGrom also has an outstanding 2.32 ERA and allowed just 78 hits and 24 walks in 112 1/3 innings while striking out 113.

“It’s a little bit of validation,” deGrom said. “Coming back from a major surgery, there is some unknown. To be fortunate enough to be able to throw the ball pretty well, I’m just thankful to be able to be back out there on a major league mound.”

Rangers manager Bruce Bochy saw deGrom at peak form when he was managing the San Francisco Giants. He is impressed by how deGrom has returned to that form following so many injuries.

“Jacob deGrom, what a job he’s done,” Bochy said. “I’ve always appreciated his talent. I love watching him come back healthy and doing what he’s doing. For him, pitching without pain has to be exciting. I know it was tough for him when he had to go ahead and get the surgery done, but now, I see the healthy Jacob deGrom, the one that’s been one of the best to play this game.”

DeGrom Makes History With Streak

From April 18 to July 1, de Grom made 14 straight starts in which he allowed six hits or fewer and two runs or fewer. That is the longest streak in MLB’s modern era, which began in 1901.

DeGrom has been a bright spot in a disappointing season for the Rangers, who many considered the favorites to win the AL West coming into the season. Instead, they are 48-49, 8 ½ games behind the division-leading Houston Astros. Texas is 3 ½ games back in the race for the third and final wild card.

“I never doubted that I would be able to come back and pitch well again,” Jacob deGrom said. “You have to look at it that way. You have to have confidence in yourself. The goal was to pick up where I left off before the injuries and the surgery. It’s constantly a work in progress. I’m constantly working on things in between starts and figuring out ways to get better. I’m happy with the way the season is going, but I know I can still pitch better.”