deGrom starts spring out of the spotlight, with consistency on his mind

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Jacob deGrom's warm-up song, “Simple Man” is pretty accurate. The Rangers ace is so simple, in fact, that he threw his first bullpen of spring away from the prying eyes of onlookers roaming the backfields in Surprise on Wednesday.

deGrom had a normal 2025, albeit with a bit of workload management, and a normal offseason. He is looking forward to a normal ‘26 too. A healthy and normal stretch like this is something he hasn’t had since before COVID shortened the 2020 season.

deGrom’s injury history is well documented, including his second Tommy John surgery that kept him out for most of 2023-24, his first two years with the Rangers. But in ‘25, he looked like a familiar version of himself.

“The goal going into last year was to make as many starts as I could,” deGrom said Thursday. “I was fortunate enough to be able to run out there for 30. I want to be able to repeat that for the next few years.

“Early, when I was coming up, the goal was to build up to 200 innings. I was able to do that a few years in a row. Then obviously, what happened, happened. As a starter, for me, that's always been the goal, to try to get out there and make the 30 starts and try to get to the 200. It's not done as much in today's game as you know when I first came out, but that is still a goal of mine.”

deGrom did all he could in 2025. He posted a 2.97 ERA, while eclipsing 100 innings for the first time since his National League Cy Young Award-winning season with the Mets in 2019. He blew through it, finishing at 172 2/3.

He only really needed to skip one start, on Aug. 20 in Kansas City, due to shoulder fatigue. The Rangers did everything they could to keep him healthy, and he responded by delivering on the mound.

But when reflecting on the season, deGrom -- while thrilled with 30 starts and 170+ innings -- could only think about the things he could’ve done better.

“I always try to look at what I could do better,” deGrom said. “The mistakes I made, the games I wish I could have back. I think that's just how I operate. I’m always trying to figure out a way to get better and improve. Obviously, I was proud of making the 30 starts and being able to do that, but my mind just works where, like, ‘Oh, I wish I could have this start back or that start back.’ That’s how I’ve played the game.”

deGrom, in the grand scheme of things, didn’t make many mistakes. But when he did, they leaked over the middle and they seemed to go far and long. The 16 home runs deGrom gave up on his four-seamer were by far the most of his MLB career. The 26 total homers were the second most of his career (28 in 2017).

Home runs on four-seamers (years with 100+ innings):
• 2014: 4
• 2015: 11
• 2016: 7
• 2017: 8
• 2018: 4
• 2019: 10
• 2025: 16

That said, his four-seamer still had an .189 average, .393 slugging and +21 run value. It’s not the pitch itself that is truly an issue.

“I can’t stand it [home runs],” deGrom said. “It's obviously part of the game. Major league hitters are very good as well. But I needed to look at the home runs and fix the mistakes, whether it's poor execution or just being better in those situations.”

deGrom is an eager perfectionist. Being healthy for an extended period of time can only improve upon what was already an excellent 2025.

“The goal is to make as many starts as I can,” deGrom said. “Obviously, the goal is to win the World Series and we weren't able to get in the playoffs last year. You have to look at the long-term goal for the team as well, that's to be able to pitch in the playoffs. But as of right now, everything's feeling really good. I was happy with how I threw yesterday, and I want to continue to build off that.”