Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi Start Texas Rangers Season on Pitch Count

Both Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi pitched in Texas Rangers minor league games on Monday as they ramp up for the regular season.

Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy confirmed on Wednesday that pitchers Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi would be on pitch counts to start the regular season.

Bochy made the confirmation during his question-and-answer session with media in Surprise, Ariz., before the Rangers’ spring game with the Kansas City Royals.

The line of questioning was about the Rangers bullpen, but it migrated to the two starters. Bochy was asked if the pair would be on “pretty restrictive pitch counts” to start the and he replied, “Yeah.”

After that, he was asked if that restrictive pitch count is usually “75 percent-ish” of what a pitcher would normally throw and Bochy said “Right.”

Both deGrom and Eovaldi threw in minor league Spring Training games on Monday.

Bochy said it is actually pretty normal to keep starters on a pitch count early in a season, but important with those two starters in particular.

“Normally when you start a season you’re on somewhat of a pitch count anyway,” Bochy said. “But it’s fair to say that we will be on a little stricter one with where these two guys will be.”

deGrom reported to spring training on Feb. 14 and reported left side tightness so the Rangers shut him down for four days. Once he resumed throwing, he tossed several bullpen sessions and a batting practice before Monday’s appearance.

He threw all four of his pitches and touched 100 mph on the radar gun in a 24-pitch appearance, 22 being strikes. His game was against the Royals Triple-A team.

deGrom said he felt good after the start, but acknowledged his start of the season might come with restrictions.

“There might be some restrictions on the first start of the season … considering what I had, getting rid of that and how I feel now. I like where we’re at,” deGrom said.

Eovaldi hadn’t thrown in a game since Feb. 25 when he reported similar left side tightness to deGrom’s after his start. Texas shut him down for a few days and then he resumed throwing. His start was against the Royals Double-A team.

Eovaldi reported no setbacks after the outing.

"I was able to keep throwing during the whole time,” Eovaldi said. “We had taken three days off, and I’m used to taking days off from throwing. I’m able to locate my pitches. There were a few I would like to be lower in the zone. We were able to work quickly out there.”

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