PHOENIX — Jacob deGrom was sore Friday, feels better Saturday, and might not throw his bullpen between starts. Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said so on Rangers Sports Network before the Texas Rangers played the Arizona Diamondbacks.
“Pretty sore. He was pretty sore yesterday,” Schumaker said. “I’m not sure what the bullpen looks like. He might be skipping his bullpen in hopes to give his groin a little bit more rest and hopefully still makes his next start. But it’s kind of day-to-day, and he feels a little bit better today, which is good news.”
Jacob deGrom’s 12-Strikeout Start In Seattle
The groin tightened Thursday at T-Mobile Park. deGrom was covering first on a fourth-inning ground ball. He told the Rangers he was fine and stayed in the game. He retired the first 15 Mariners he faced.
Cole Young broke up the perfect game leading off the sixth, lining a single off deGrom’s glove. That was the only hit he gave up. Schumaker walked to the mound with a trainer later that inning, and deGrom did not pitch the seventh. Six scoreless innings, one hit, one walk, 12 strikeouts, 92 pitches, 64 of them strikes.
He had not struck out 12 in a game since Sept. 18, 2022. For the fifth time in his career he struck out 8 of the first 9 batters he faced.
Texas led 3-0 when he left and lost 4-3. Jakob Junis faced four batters in the seventh and got nobody out. Julio Rodríguez hit a three-run homer.
Jacob deGrom’s Next Turn Falls Against Boston
Thursday was deGrom’s 28th start. He is 10-9 with a 3.80 ERA. His 186 strikeouts have come in 149.1 innings. His career record over 13 major league seasons is 106-74 with a 2.69 ERA. He won American League Comeback Player of the Year in 2025.
deGrom’s turn falls in the three-game series against the Boston Red Sox that opens at Globe Life Field on Tuesday. A mild left glute strain cost him the July 12 finale against Houston, the only start he has missed all year. Texas never put him on the injured list. Neck stiffness scratched him from his 2026 debut. In April, knee soreness cost him time.
Jack Leiter cut short a rehab outing at Round Rock on Aug. 26 with biceps soreness and has not thrown since. He is on the 60-day injured list with a right ankle issue. Schumaker got Nathan Eovaldi back Saturday and put him in the bullpen, which leaves MacKenzie Gore, Kumar Rocker, and Cal Quantrill behind deGrom in the rotation. Gore is 8-10 with a 4.51 ERA over 30 starts. Quantrill has a 2.89 ERA across 30 appearances and 13 starts.
Texas has 14 games left, starting with Boston: the Toronto Blue Jays Sept. 18 to 20, the New York Mets Sept. 22 to 24, then the finish at the Minnesota Twins.
Texas is 72-76 and sits three games behind the Houston Astros in the American League West. The Cleveland Guardians hold the last American League wild card, 3.5 games up on the Rangers. Rocker pitches against Diamondbacks right-hander Brandon Pfaadt at 7:10 p.m. CT on Rangers Sports Network.
