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ROUND ROCK, Texas — Jacob deGrom is nearing his return to Major League Baseball. After undergoing right UCL reconstructive surgery in June 2023, the Rangers’ ace has been diligently working on his comeback.
On Sunday, deGrom made his third rehab start, facing off against Oklahoma City in Triple-A Round Rock’s series finale. The outing was relatively uneventful; he pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing one hit and one walk while striking out five. The plan was for him to throw around 45 pitches or three innings, and he ended up with 43 pitches in 2 2/3 innings.
“I’ve felt really good,” deGrom commented on Monday at Globe Life Field.
During the game, deGrom threw 18 fastballs and 18 sliders, with a few changeups mixed in. His fastball velocity was slightly reduced but averaged 97.8 mph and reached a high of 99.7 mph.
“I’ve seen glimpses [of my old self],” deGrom said. “It’s been a while since I’ve pitched competitively. Sometimes, with the slider, I try to overdo it and end up yanking it. I was making in-game adjustments and ended up throwing five sliders in a row because I wanted to get it right.”
Jacob deGrom looks like a future big leaguer👀
His final line: 2.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K.#ItAllStartsHere | #RRExpress pic.twitter.com/PwViJhCcPN
— Round Rock Express (@RRExpress) September 1, 2024
deGrom made his first rehab appearance on August 22 with Double-A Frisco, allowing one run on two hits over two innings. He threw 29 pitches (21 strikes) and recorded three strikeouts. In his second outing, he pitched two perfect innings against Oklahoma City at Round Rock on August 27.
Currently, the plan is for deGrom to pitch at Double-A Frisco on Saturday. He mentioned that the Rangers’ staff had been considering the possibility of him starting with the big league team this coming weekend instead of making one more rehab start with the RoughRiders. However, manager Bruce Bochy seemed hesitant about this idea.
“That’s always an option, but I don’t think that’s what we’re going to do,” Bochy said. “If circumstances change and we feel it’s necessary and Jacob is okay with it, then we might go that route. But for now, the plan remains for him to start in Frisco.”
If deGrom does start for the RoughRiders on Saturday, he is expected to rejoin the big league team during their West Coast road trip from September 10-15, which includes games in Arizona and Seattle.
“We’re going to weigh all these options,” deGrom said. “I’ve been fortunate to feel good throughout this whole process, so now it’s just about ensuring we take the smartest path forward. We want to make sure we’re doing everything correctly.”