Time will tell whether this was typical spring training precaution or the living embodiment of the “This is fine” dog meme.
The fact that it’s even a question underscores just how risky the Texas Rangers’ five-year, $185 million investment in Jacob deGrom is after he made a total of 26 regular-season starts over the last two seasons for the Mets.
DeGrom has already dealt with tightness in his left side in camp after a recent bullpen session, the Rangers revealed Wednesday. On Saturday, Texas general manager Chris Young tried to quell the concern.
“He’s feeling really good,” Young said, according to the Dallas Morning News. “He’s made a lot of improvement. Everything is going well. And he was throwing before he got here, so I think he will catch back up quickly. He was sort of ahead of schedule to where he’s been in the past.”
DeGrom, 34, played catch during a workout on Sunday after a four-day shutdown. He “felt good” after the workout, the Dallas Morning News reported, with his throwing program set to continue Monday. DeGrom likely won’t pitch in any exhibition games for the first week of the Rangers’ schedule, per the Dallas Morning News.
The two-time Cy Young winner left the Mets after nine big-league seasons for a contract that includes a sixth-year option, which could take the total to $222 million. He did not make his 2022 debut until Aug. 2 after suffering a stress reaction in his right scapula last spring.
That Aug. 2 outing was his first in 391 days. In 2021, deGrom did not pitch again after July 7 due to forearm and elbow issues. He hasn’t made more than 15 starts since 2019, when he won the second of his consecutive Cy Young awards; he made 12 starts during the COVID-shortened 2020 season.
In 11 starts for the Mets last season, deGrom had 102 strikeouts and a 3.08 ERA in 64 ⅓ innings over 11 starts. He earned the win in Game 2 of the wild-card series against the Padres, giving up two runs in six innings with eight strikeouts.