Rangers Ace Jacob deGrom Throws 'Free and Easy' Bullpen Session

Jacob deGrom threw his first session from a mound at Spring Training on Thursday.

Texas Rangers pitcher Jacob deGrom said his first bullpen session at Spring Training was a “small step, but a step in the right direction” on Thursday.

deGrom’s first bullpen session drew a crowd of teammates, coaches and fans, as he threw an estimated 22 pitches before calling it a day.

He hesitated to put a percentage on his effort but reported no ill effects from the session.

“Just nice and easy,” deGrom said. “That’s always a tough thing to say, what effort you’re throwing at. You could be throwing 75 percent and that could be 75 miles per hour.”

There was no radar gun for the session.

deGrom reported to Surprise on Feb. 14 and told the Rangers that he was experiencing left side tightness. From there the Rangers decided to let deGrom rest for a few days.

He rested for four days after reporting and spent four days throwing long toss after that. The entire staff had a day off on Wednesday, pitching coach Mike Maddux said earlier on Thursday.

Maddux and manager Bruce Bochy talked to the media before deGrom’s session and both were eager to see him throw.

The plan in place is for deGrom to pitch at least two bullpen sessions and at least one live batting practice before he pitches in a spring game. deGrom and Maddux both believe he isn’t behind schedule, especially since he came to Surprise having thrown “five or six” bullpen sessions this offseason, deGrom said.

“The plan moving forward is to keep progressing and build up pitch count and then get in some games,” deGrom said.

deGrom, a right-hander, said he had never experienced left side tightness before in his career. He admitted that he had some right-side soreness at one point in 2018, but that was from swinging the bat.

He said he hasn’t felt that tightness or soreness in days.

“It was a little bit strange,” deGrom said. “I felt it and we decided to give it a few days to make sure it was gone. And, you know, I haven’t felt it in the last week.”

The Rangers signed deGrom to a five-year, $185 million deal in the offseason, the largest contract they’ve ever awarded a pitcher. At 35, he’s one of six projected starters that is over the age of 30.

deGrom has also pitched truncated seasons each of the last three seasons, though the 2020 season was shortened due to COVID-19.

deGrom missed half of the 2021 season due to right elbow inflammation. He missed the first half of last season with a stress reaction in his right scapula.

Last year he went 5-4 with a 3.08 ERA in 11 starts with the Mets. In 2021 he went 7-2 with a 1.08 ERA, earned an All-Star Game berth and was ninth in Cy Young voting despite the injury.

Before that deGrom was highly durable. He made 30 or more starts in four of his first six seasons in the Majors, with his 2018 and 2019 seasons both leading to National League Cy Young awards. In 2018 he led the Majors with a 1.70 ERA, followed by a a 2.43 ERA in 2019.

---

You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard

Catch up with Inside the Rangers on Facebook and Twitter.

Need to catch up on the Rangers? Check out our Texas Rangers Offseason Central Page!

Need to get ready for Spring Training? Check out our Rangers Spring Training Tracker