Jacob deGrom is set to make his long-awaited return to the mound for the Texas Rangers on Friday. The two-time Cy Young Award winner will start against the Seattle Mariners, marking his first appearance since undergoing Tommy John surgery in June 2023. This will also be his first major league start since April of that year.
Although the Rangers are no longer in the playoff race, the upcoming series in Seattle offers a glimmer of excitement for Texas fans. In addition to deGrom’s return, the Rangers will debut their top prospect, Kumar Rocker, in Thursday’s series opener. Manager Bruce Bochy confirmed that Max Scherzer, also returning from injury, will start on Saturday. The team will need to make room on the 40-man roster for both deGrom and Rocker.
deGrom’s road to recovery has been encouraging. He made four rehab starts in the minors, showcasing his dominant form by striking out 15 batters while allowing just five baserunners over 10 2/3 innings. In his final rehab outing for Double-A Frisco, deGrom tossed four scoreless innings on only 49 pitches, even though the Rangers had initially planned for him to throw closer to 60 pitches. As a result, deGrom is expected to be on a pitch count of 65-75 in his season debut.
While deGrom’s return might not alter the Rangers’ fortunes in 2023, his remaining starts are crucial for both the player and the organization as they look ahead to 2024. Injuries have been a consistent issue for deGrom, who had battled arm troubles toward the end of his tenure with the New York Mets. After signing a five-year, $185 million contract with Texas, deGrom managed just six starts and 30 1/3 innings before his elbow injury sidelined him.
When healthy, deGrom remains one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball. He showed glimpses of that brilliance during his brief stint with Texas earlier this season, posting a 2.67 ERA while striking out nearly 40% of the batters he faced. With three or four starts expected from him before the season concludes, the Rangers hope to build some confidence going into next year, as deGrom will play a vital role in their aspirations for 2024 and beyond.
deGrom’s contract includes $40 million for the 2024 season, followed by $38 million in 2025 and $36 million in 2026. His Tommy John surgery triggered a conditional team option for 2028, which is valued at $20 million but could increase to $30 million if deGrom places in the top five in Cy Young voting in any of the next three seasons.
As for Scherzer, the veteran right-hander has been out of action since early August with a shoulder injury. He also missed a significant portion of the season recovering from offseason back surgery and dealing with a nerve issue in his throwing hand. Scherzer, limited to just eight starts this season, has posted a 3.89 ERA over 39 1/3 innings. The future Hall of Famer will become a free agent after the season and has already expressed his intention to continue pitching, making him one of the top risk-reward options in the upcoming free agent market.
The return of deGrom and Scherzer provides some optimism for the Rangers as they close out a disappointing season, with both pitchers expected to play pivotal roles in the team’s push for success in 2024.
