Jacob deGrom is making significant strides in his journey back to the mound. The two-time Cy Young Award winner is scheduled to make a rehab start for the Texas Rangers’ Double-A affiliate this Thursday, as reported by Jeff Wilson of Rangers Daily. This marks another step forward in deGrom’s effort to return to Major League Baseball action this season.
Since 2019, deGrom has struggled to surpass 100 innings in a season, and he hasn’t pitched in a Major League game since April 28, 2023. After signing a substantial five-year, $185 million contract with the Rangers during the 2022 offseason, deGrom’s 2023 season was cut short by a torn UCL, which led to Tommy John surgery. Despite these setbacks, deGrom has been diligently working towards a return, having faced live hitters three times recently, with his most recent session occurring on Saturday. Following this session, deGrom expressed optimism about his readiness to pitch in games.
Rangers manager Bruce Bochy has also voiced confidence in deGrom’s progress, suggesting that he is on track to move forward with his rehabilitation. Bochy noted, “It looks like Jacob’s ready to go. We’ll see how he comes out of this.” This positive feedback from Bochy indicates that deGrom is likely to continue his rehab efforts with the aim of rejoining the Rangers’ pitching rotation this season.
Although deGrom may have anticipated making his comeback during a pivotal time in the Rangers’ season, the team’s current standing complicates matters. As of August 19, the Rangers are 12.5 games out of the Wild Card race, which raises questions about whether it would be wise to risk deGrom’s health in games that might not impact the team’s playoff chances. Nonetheless, deGrom remains focused on getting back to form, even if it means using this period to prepare for a more impactful role in the next season.
Bochy agrees with deGrom’s approach, emphasizing the importance of getting back to pitching as a way to gear up for the future. With deGrom under contract through his age 39 season, he is eager to demonstrate that he can be a reliable component of the Rangers’ rotation in 2025. Additionally, with other key pitchers like Jon Gray and Max Scherzer also approaching returns, the Rangers have a chance to showcase what their rotation might look like when fully healthy.