To make sure Jacob deGrom stays healthy throughout the 2025 season, the Texas Rangers are taking a bold approach with the highest paid player on their roster after a pair of lost seasons.
Before the 2023 season, the Rangers showed once again that they are willing to spend huge sums for top free agents when they outbid the Mets for homegrown legend Jacob DeGrom. The five-year, $185 million deal would see the four-time All-Star make close to $40 million per season.
That season, Texas would go on to win their first World Series title. Unfortunately, they did it without the two-time Cy Young winner. After just six starts, it was revealed that the 36-year-old would need to undergo Tommy John surgery for the second time in his career. Yet, despite surgery happening early in the 2023 season, deGrom made just three starts late in the 2024 season.
The Texas Rangers have paid deGrom $70 million the last two years. But have only gotten nine total starts from him. The club can not blow another huge sum of money on the pitcher this season. That is why manager Bruce Bochy revealed the bold strategy they plan to use so Jacob deGrom can make a boatload of starts in 2025.
- Jacob deGrom stats (Career): 84-57 record,2.52 ERA, 0.994 WHIP, 1,666 strikeouts, 1,367.0 innings pitched
Jacob deGrom to be Texas Rangers’ fifth starter to start 2025?
“He’ll probably be our fifth starter coming out and we have a plan there,” Bochy told the New York Post. “By doing that, he’ll get an extra day’s rest for his first five starts. He’s doing great. He feels good. He’s using all four pitches.”
The legendary pitcher is expected to make four starts in the spring. He is on track to make his regular-season debut March 31 against the Cincinnati Reds. Then due to four off days between April 3 and April 21, Texas could stick with five starters but give deGrom an extra day of rest in series against the Rays, Mariners, Dodgers and A’s.
- Jacob deGrom contract: Five years, $185 million
Texas Rangers fans will hope the plan works. Because if they want to get back to the level of play they had two years ago, they will need deGrom to have a big role in their success.