ANAHEIM, Calif. — Jacob deGrom will undergo an MRI on Friday after right triceps fatigue ended his start after two innings in the Texas Rangers‘ 7-0 loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday night.
deGrom gave up 2 runs on 6 hits, walked 1 and struck out 3 before Peyton Gray took over to begin the third inning.
His velocity showed no obvious problem. deGrom reached 99 mph, and all five of his pitches were above their season-average velocity, according to Statcast. He threw 35 of 53 pitches for strikes and generated 10 swings and misses.
The triceps would not loosen up.
“I’m not too concerned,” deGrom said. “Hopefully I’ll make my next [start], we’ll see. Tonight, it just — there in the second it was tight and just didn’t want to loosen up. I haven’t really had that before.”
deGrom said he thought he could continue pitching. The Rangers decided otherwise.
Texas Rangers Play It Safe With Jacob deGrom
Manager Skip Schumaker did not want to push the 38-year-old once he learned the discomfort was in deGrom’s arm.
“I wasn’t going to risk it once I heard [it was] the triceps,” Schumaker said. “Obviously, you don’t want to hear anything arm-related. You pull a guy out in the second inning, it’s concerning. But we’ll figure it out when he gets some imaging. We won’t know until they get in there.”
deGrom said the area had not responded normally over the past week, even with the treatment that is already part of his routine.
“Just see how it is tomorrow and then come up with a plan,” deGrom explained. “We’ve been doing a lot to treat that area. That’s what I normally do in my routine. But this last, whatever, week, I guess, it just didn’t recover, and then I felt it tonight there in the second. They made the decision that it was not best to go forward.”
deGrom underwent his second Tommy John surgery in June 2023. From 2021 through 2024, he made 35 starts while also dealing with elbow, shoulder and forearm problems.
He had stayed off the injured list this season through 22 starts. The only interruption came just before the All-Star break, when Texas skipped his final scheduled start because of a left hip and glute issue.
Thursday’s loss moved deGrom to 8-8. He entered the night with a 3.87 ERA and was 5 strikeouts away from 2,000 for his career. After striking out 3 Angels, he needs 2 more.
Texas signed deGrom to a five-year, $185 million deal before the 2023 season. He is under contract through 2027, with a mutual option for 2028.
Before injuries interrupted his career, deGrom had one of baseball’s best stretches with the New York Mets. From 2017 through 2019, he threw 622 1/3 innings with a 2.53 ERA and made at least 31 starts each season. He won consecutive National League Cy Young Awards in 2018 and 2019.
Texas Rangers Rotation Takes Another Hit
deGrom’s exit came three days after Texas placed Nathan Eovaldi on the 15-day injured list with right posterior elbow inflammation.
Eovaldi is eligible to return Aug. 24.
Jack Leiter made his first Triple-A rehab start Thursday and can come off the 60-day injured list Aug. 18. Jordan Montgomery threw 2 innings Thursday in his second appearance since being activated, and Cody Bradford worked 7 innings Tuesday.
Texas opens a three-game series against the Athletics on Friday at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento. First pitch is at 8:40 p.m. CT on Rangers Sports Network.
The Rangers expect to know more about deGrom after Friday’s MRI.
