Texas Rangers right-hander Jacob deGrom took another step on Tuesday toward making his first big-league appearance since April 28, 2023 — and his first since undergoing his second Tommy John surgery. deGrom made another minor-league rehab start (his second to date), firing two perfect innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Triple-A affiliate while striking out two of the six batters he faced.
deGrom, 36, signed a five-year pact worth $185 million with the Rangers ahead of the 2023 campaign. He started six times before tearing his ulnar collateral ligament, amassing a 2.67 ERA (159 ERA+) and an 11.25 strikeout-to-walk ratio. The Rangers were, of course, able to weather deGrom’s absence en route to a World Series victory.
Alas, the Rangers don’t quite seem poised to become Major League Baseball’s first repeat champion in more than two decades. They enter Wednesday with a 60-71 record that puts them well outside of the American League playoff picture. Texas’ noncompetitive state has not caused deGrom to alter his designs on returning to the rotation this year.