Former Cy Young Award Winner Might Return From Long Absence Against Angels

Sam Garcia | Aug 30, 2024

Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

It has been more than a year since major league hitters have seen right-hander Jacob deGrom take the mound. The 38-year-old pitcher has not played in an MLB game since April 28, 2023, as he recovers from Tommy John surgery. 

But, the time has come for the return of the two-time Cy Young award winner. It might be just in time for the Texas Rangers’ upcoming homestand against the Angels beginning Sept. 5.

On Aug. 22, the Rangers sent deGrom on a rehab assignment to the Double-A Frisco RoughRiders. He made one start for two innings, logging a 4.50 ERA and throwing three strikeouts while allowing two hits and one run. 

The Rangers promoted deGrom to Triple-A Round Rock on Tuesday. Across a two-inning start, he struck out two batters and did not allow any runs or hits. Despite allowing two hits in his debut, deGrom retired 12 consecutive batters, striking out five throughout his first two starts. 

Rangers’ general manager Chris Young told DallasNews.com that deGrom will make at least one more rehab start either Sunday or Tuesday. After that, deGrom may be added to Texas’ active roster to finish out his recovery in the Major Leagues.

“There is rehab that happens at the big league level,” Young said. “It happened with [Tyler] Mahle. There is a responsible way to slowly integrate him back in as part of the final step of rehab.”

The Rangers are currently working with a four-man rotation consisting of Nathan Eovaldi, Jon Gray, Andrew Heaney, and Cody Bradford. Three of the four pitchers have spent time on IL this season. Adding deGrom back into the rotation will deepen the Rangers’ slim rotation. 

DeGrom won back-to-back Cy Young awards in 2018-19, becoming the 11th MLB pitcher to win the award in consecutive seasons. In 2017-18, DeGrom ranked second in the National League in strikeouts. By 2019 and 2020, he led the league in strikeouts. In 2021, he logged a career-best 1.08 ERA and earned his fourth MLB All-Star selection. 

By the second half of the 2021 season, deGrom endured right forearm tightness that would mark the first of several injuries the Florida native would sustain. A stress reaction in his right scapula, then elbow surgery, limited deGrom to 17 appearances across the 2022-23 seasons.

Despite pitching less than 100 innings across the two-year span, he managed to sign a 5-year, $185 million contract with the Rangers in Dec. 2022.

Now, deGrom is inching toward a long-awaited return. That is great news for the Rangers, but bad news for the Angels, who have lost nine of their last 10 games.