Jacob deGrom’s Quest for Redemption: A Pitcher Battling Time and Injury
The spring air in Surprise, Arizona crackles with anticipation. The sprawling backfields of the Texas Rangers’ training complex are a hive of activity, teeming with young fans eager for a glimpse of their heroes. As players emerge, autograph books are thrust forward, a chorus of hopeful voices filling the air. Then, Jacob deGrom appears, and the scene transforms.
A wave of excitement ripples through the crowd. Parents, their eyes wide with recognition, gently steer their children, urging them to seize this opportunity. "Go get deGrom’s signature!" they whisper, their voices tinged with reverence. Instantly, a swarm of over a hundred kids surrounds the veteran pitcher. Many of these youngsters have never witnessed deGrom’s brilliance firsthand, never seen him don the Rangers uniform in a competitive game. Yet, guided by their parents’ enthusiasm, they understand that this 36-year-old man is someone special.
They’ve been told tales of his dominance, of a pitcher who, when healthy, stands among the very best in baseball. But the truth, the ever-present shadow hanging over deGrom’s career, is that health has been a fleeting companion.
It has been six long years since deGrom last completed a full season, a campaign that culminated in his second consecutive Cy Young Award. Four years have passed since he pitched more than 96 innings in a single season. It’s been almost three years since the Rangers made a significant investment, signing him to a five-year, $185 million free-agent contract. In those three seasons, he has only graced the mound for a mere 41 innings.
The toll of injuries, the countless hours spent in rehab, the agonizing setbacks – they have left their mark. "Obviously, they’ve taken a toll," deGrom confessed. "You feel the disappointment. You feel terrible. I haven’t been out on the field nearly as much as I’d like to be. You feel like you’re letting everybody down because you’re not playing."
The weight of expectation, the sense of unfulfilled potential – it gnaws at him. "And that hurts. It hurts bad."
Now, after two Tommy John surgeries and a litany of other injuries, deGrom embarks on a new chapter, driven by a desire to prove that he can still be the dominant force he once was. Perhaps, he hopes, he can still earn a place among the immortals in Cooperstown.
There is a palpable sense of optimism surrounding deGrom this spring. He proclaims that he feels as good as he has in years. The fastball velocity has returned, consistently reaching 98 mph. His curveball and slider possess their signature bite, and his changeup has regained its lethal deception. Most importantly, his pinpoint control, the hallmark of his greatness, is back.
"If deGrom is throwing a pen," says Rangers rookie starter Jack Leiter, "it’s pretty much a stop-and-watch kind of event. Anybody in the area is putting down what they’re doing and watching because it’s probably the most impressive bullpen anyone has ever seen. And when he’s healthy, and pitching in games, well, there may be no one better."
The praise is effusive. Rangers pitching coach Mike Maddux describes him as a "unicorn," marveling at his ability to throw catch at 95 mph with exceptional command. "His stuff is as good as anybody’s in the game, and he commands the ball as good as anyone I’ve seen."
Maddux adds, "Most guys that have that kind of velocity are like blow-and-go guys. He’s driving it through a spot pretty consistently. He’s kind of like a Lamborghini, you know, he’s got to be finely tuned. Once he gets in those lanes he’ll start stepping on the gas a little bit, and he’ll be just like he was a few years ago."
The memories of that five-year span with the New York Mets, when deGrom was arguably the best pitcher in baseball, are still vivid. Two Cy Young awards, five top-10 finishes in Cy Young voting, two strikeout titles, an ERA title – the accolades speak for themselves. In 2021, he was so dominant that he had more hits himself than earned runs he allowed.
"You can make the argument that he’s in the category of the most dominant pitcher of all time," says Rangers outfielder Kevin Pillar, who also played with deGrom in New York. "It’s just the perfect blend of power and finesse and accuracy. He’s the perfect pitcher when healthy."
Pillar, who has been on 10 different teams, emphasizes the unique experience of watching deGrom at his peak. "I’ve been around a lot of really good pitchers, great pitchers, but there was nothing like coming out of the dugout in New York when he was on top of his game, ‘Simple Man’ was playing and feeling like you were about to witness history. I’ve never seen anything like him. It was just those injuries, everything from the elbow, shoulder, forearm, wrist, back, neck, side and hamstring, along with the Tommy John surgeries, keeping him from perhaps going down as one of the finest pitchers in history."
DeGrom, however, refuses to dwell on the "what ifs." "You know, I try not to look at things that way," he says. "There’s a lot of things that could be different. You can’t play the what-ifs. It’s out of your control. You do everything you can to stay out there. If somebody knew exactly what would work, then nobody would get hurt. Some guys go their whole careers with nothing. The reality is that it happened."
The weight of the injuries was particularly heavy after signing his free agent contract. He made just six starts before undergoing Tommy John surgery in June 2023. The emotions overwhelmed him, and he broke down in tears during the press conference to announce the decision.
Former teammate Travis Jankowski recounts deGrom’s deep sense of responsibility. "He even pulled a few of aside," Jankowski says, "and told us, ‘Man, I just feel like I’m letting the team down. I’m so sorry.’ He felt like he was letting the owners down. He felt like he was letting C.Y. [GM Chris Young] down. He felt like he was letting his teammates down, the city down. You go through an injury like that first year after signing the contract, he felt terrible."
Jankowski and others rallied around him, reminding him that injuries are an inherent part of the game, not a personal failing. "We said, ‘Dude, you’re 1% of a 1% of a 1% pitcher. This isn’t something that you were out on a jet ski and fell off and broke your arm. Dude, this is an injury that happened in the game. You have nothing to feel bad about. We’re going to pick you up. Then, in the coming years, it’s on you. Now is that time.’"
Despite deGrom’s absence, the Rangers defied expectations and won the World Series in 2023. Ironically, his health really hasn’t cost them. They were 78-84 and finished 10 ½ games out of first place in the AL West last year. So, even if he were healthy, the Rangers weren’t going to do better than winning the World Series two years ago and likely still wouldn’t have made the postseason last year.
The Rangers see deGrom’s return to health as perfect timing, an opportunity to strengthen their pitching staff and make another deep postseason run.
DeGrom echoes this sentiment, expressing his eagerness to contribute. "Obviously, I haven’t been out on the field nearly as much as I’d like to be," he says. "As a player, you feel like a disappointment because you’re supposed to be out there. You leave it all out on the field, and it’s then taken away from you."
His career trajectory, had he remained healthy, is a tantalizing "what if." In his four seasons with 200+ innings pitched, he posted a 50-35 record with a 2.53 ERA, striking out 968 batters in 913 ⅓ innings. His 2018 season, with a 1.70 ERA and 269 strikeouts, remains a testament to his unparalleled talent. He still holds the lowest career WHIP (0.944) and second-lowest ERA (2.52) of any starting pitcher in the live-ball era.
DeGrom knows this game can turn in a second. He has his second TJ surgery and did his rehab to get back to the place he’s at now. He shortened his arm action to improve his control. He’s also trying to throttle down a bit, as he knows he doesn’t need to throw 101 to be successful. However, that’s easier said than done. He’s still trying to figure that out.
The Rangers are proceeding with caution, planning to ease his workload and provide extra rest when needed. DeGrom, however, remains ambitious, aiming for 30 starts. The team’s priority is to ensure he’s healthy and ready for the postseason.
"He looks good, and when he’s smiling like he is," Maddux says, "he makes everybody feel good."
The prospect of a healthy deGrom pitching deep into October is a tantalizing one, a scenario that could elevate the Rangers to a championship contender. And, as Pillar notes, it could also revive deGrom’s Hall of Fame aspirations.
"Obviously, the highest honor you can get is to be elected to the Hall of Fame," says deGrom. "That was the goal. There’s some things that set me back, but I think I’ve got some years ahead of me to keep doing this so we’ll see where that that takes me."
He acknowledges the long road ahead, the need to accumulate innings and re-establish his dominance. He has pitched just 1,367 innings, which is nearly 1,000 innings fewer than Sandy Koufax’s 2,324 ⅓ total.
"As a kid, you dream of being a baseball player, and then to play at the highest level, it’s pretty special. I’ve been able to do some pretty cool things in my career. But I know that’s in the past too. So, my goal is to put up zeroes, put my team in a position to win, and wherever that takes me, we’ll see."
DeGrom’s focus remains on the present, on contributing to the Rangers’ success and proving that he can still be an elite pitcher. "All I know is I’m ready. I’m excited to be out there. I can’t wait to see what’s ahead."
The baseball world shares that anticipation, eager to witness deGrom’s comeback.
"It’s the perfect time," Pillar concludes, "for him to be an ace again."
