(Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)
After winning the 2018 and 2019 NL Cy Young awards with the New York Mets and completing a nice season in 2020, Jacob deGrom‘s health started to abandon him.
He felt tightness in his forearm during a bullpen session and was subsequently placed by the Mets on the 10-day injured list.
Then, deGrom felt soreness in his elbow.
He didn’t pitch again in 2021 and it was later revealed that he had a partial ligament tear that “healed itself”.
Before the start of the 2022 season, he suffered a stress fracture in his right scapula, missing most of the season.
He returned in time to pitch 64.1 innings of a solid 3.08 ERA.
There was a clause in his contract that allowed him to opt out after the 2022 campaign, and he did just that.
The Mets didn’t want to go five years because of his recent injury history, and the Texas Rangers gave him a deal he liked.
Five years, $185 million.
That’s what lured deGrom to the Lone Star state to be the ace of an emerging contender.
Texas’ roster is still a work in progress, but they have advanced a lot talent-wise and have a true ace leading the staff now.
He might visit the injured list once or twice per year, but on a per-inning basis, there are few like him.
He gave us a quick reminder of that on Thursday.
On Opening Day against the Philadelphia Phillies, deGrom struck out two in his first inning of work.
The very first batter he faced was the red-hot Trea Turner, the Phillies’ $300 million man who led the World Baseball Classic in home runs.
This happened:
Welcome to Texas, Jacob deGrom! #StraightUpTX pic.twitter.com/Ly3mXhsP36
— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) March 30, 2023
deGrom made him look silly with one of his trademark sliders.
As long as he is healthy enough to pitch, deGrom should be among the very best hurlers in the American League.
He is still a must-watch every time he takes the hill.
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