Jacob deGrom's UCL Tear Unwelcome Memory from Mets Days

Texas Rangers pitcher Jacob deGrom knows the recovery time from Tommy John surgery because he's been there before.

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

ARLINGTON, Texas — The news had an all-too familiar ring for Texas Rangers pitcher Jacob deGrom.

No, not the stress reaction injury that kept him out of the first four months of the 2022 season with the New York Mets.

No, not the elbow inflammation that caused him to miss the final two months of the 2021 season with the Mets.

No, you have to go all the way back to 2010 when deGrom was in his first professional season with the organization, throwing for the Kingsport Mets, their rookie-level Appalachian League team.

Back then he was a ninth-round pick out of Stetson University, a converted shortstop who grew into a quality starter with the Hatters. He was just out to prove himself.

Six starts into his pro career, everything stopped. He felt a tug in his right elbow, one that led Mets minor league doctors to diagnose him with a partially torn UCL ligament. After four months of rest didn’t help, he underwent Tommy John surgery and missed all of 2011.

Thirteen years later, that all came rushing back.

“I went through this before and I know what it takes to get back,” deGrom said.

He knows it all too well.

The former Met will have a second elbow surgery next week. Texas Rangers general manager Chris Young was hesitant to call it a Tommy John surgery, only because there are several types of UCL procedures and the Rangers’ team surgeon, Dr. Keith Meister, will determine the right one.

But whether you want to be specific or colloquial and call it Tommy John surgery, the timetable is the same. His 2023 season is done after six starts and a 2-0 record. The goal is to return sometime during the 2024 season.

It’s a 12 to 18-month road to recovery, however you want to look at it.

“To not be able to be out there, it stinks,’ deGrom said, fighting back tears as he spoke to the media about the injury.

This was not the beginning he wanted in Texas, where he signed a five-year, $185 million deal in December with the Rangers after spending his first nine seasons with the Mets.

With the Mets, he was a four-time All-Star, a two-time All-MLB first-team selection, a two-time NL Cy Young winner, the NL Rookie of the Year and a two-time NL strikeout leader.

With the Mets he finished 84-57 with a 2.53 ERA and 1,652 strikeouts.

He said upon arriving in Texas he wanted to take the ball every fifth day and contribute to turning the Rangers around.

Now, it’s an unfitting end to this first season away from Queens.

“This is what we love to do, finding yourself coming here, wanting to be out there and helping the team win, it’s such a disappointment,” deGrom said.