deGrom (neck stiffness) scratched from 2026 debut; next start TBD

PHILADELPHIA -- Rangers ace Jacob deGrom has been scratched from his 2026 debut start on Saturday afternoon against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park due to neck stiffness.

deGrom said he woke up at 8:22 a.m. ET with a stiff neck and came to the ballpark early to try to get treatment and hopefully make his start. He, manager Skip Schumaker and the training staff decided not to push it, but deGrom feels confident he’ll be able to start on this road trip.

It’s a cautionary move for deGrom, who could potentially still make a start on this season-opening trip that includes series in Philadelphia and Baltimore. Swingman Jacob Latz -- who had a 2.72 ERA in eight spot starts last season -- started Saturday in deGrom's place.

“It was fine before today, that's what was so annoying,” deGrom said. “I felt really good throwing my bullpen the other day. It felt great. Like I said, I woke up and I was like, ‘Oh man, my neck.’ We did some heat and laser stuff, stretched it out just to see. I threw some plyo balls to see, but I kind of feel it when I'm throwing those. The training staff said it’s the first start of the season, let's not do something where it turns into multiple weeks. We can just push it [back] a couple days, and hopefully, be fine.”

deGrom was slated to start the second game of the season, with co-ace Nathan Eovaldi getting the Opening Day nod, so that deGrom could start the home opener against the Reds on Friday in Arlington. It’s unclear how the rest of the rotation lines up at the moment, but deGrom is hopeful to make a start in Baltimore this week.

Jack Leiter will start the series opener against the Orioles on Monday, with the following two starters still to be determined.

“Again, hopefully he's pitching in Baltimore, so that's the plan,” Schumaker said. “He, obviously, didn't feel great waking up today. I just felt like it was the best thing we can do for him and for us, is to push him back. … We'll see what it looks like and go from there. But I don't anticipate him missing another start, but we'll see what happens.”

deGrom -- now in his fourth year with the Rangers -- was an All-Star in 2025, posting a 2.97 ERA in 172 2/3 innings in his first full year after Tommy John surgery. He made 30 starts while eclipsing 100 innings for the first time since his National League Cy Young Award-winning season with the Mets in 2019.

deGrom made only one Cactus League start, deciding to mostly build up on the backfields this spring.

“It's just the best play here in the second game of the season,” deGrom said. “We’ve got Latz built up, and hopefully, I can come and slot in in Baltimore. It’s just frustrating.”