'Frustrated' Jacob deGrom Still 'Optimistic' Despite First IL Stint for Texas Rangers

Texas Rangers ace Jacob deGrom is on the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation.

Jacob deGrom obviously isn’t happy landing on the injured so early in his Texas Rangers tenure.

But that’s where he’s at after be placed on the 15-day IL with right elbow inflammation. The Rangers plan to reevaluate deGrom’s status in 7-10 days.

“I’m definitely frustrated,” he said Sunday, according to MLB.com. “I want to be out there. I just felt a little something in my last start, obviously came out of the game, got it looked at. There's a little inflammation in there, so the goal is to get that knocked out here in the next few days and resume throwing.

“I’m staying optimistic about it. I didn't want to go out there and keep pushing it and putting the bullpen in a bad spot and the team in a bad spot, so the plan is to get that [inflammation] out of there and go from there.”

The Rangers signed deGrom to a five-year, $185 million contract this offseason to be the ace of the staff. He’s been just that through six starts despite leaving two early with arm issues.

The Rangers have not lost (6-0) with deGrom on this mound. He owns a 2.67 ERA with 45 strikeouts in 30 1/3 innings.

The two-time Cy Young winner said before the season that his aim is to make at least 30 starts each year. Depending on how his elbow responds, that goal could be in jeopardy in his first year with Texas.

deGrom left Friday’s start against the New York Yankees after 3 2/3 innings.

“It was frustrating,” deGrom said. “I want to be out there. It was just some discomfort. It was not crazy, but it was just there and lingering so I looked in the dugout and was like, ‘Hey, it's not feeling right.’ So that's the goal: To get that feeling right.

“The goal is to not go on the IL. Again, the goal is to make 30-plus starts and help put this team in a position to win. It's disappointing to not be able to do that right now, but I’m staying optimistic about it. Everything structurally looks fine, so we want to get a little bit of that swelling out of there and pick it up from there.”

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