Despite 90 degree temps, deGrom's 100.5 mph gas was the hottest thing in Cleveland

CLEVELAND -- The Rangers’ 4-2 win over the Guardians at Progressive Field on Tuesday had a little bit of everything.

But, on a day where it felt like the game was being played on the surface of the sun, Jacob deGrom put together another vintage performance for Texas’ depleted rotation.

A day after the Rangers were forced to sign Chris Paddack off the street to eat innings, they turned to the ace who they signed to a five-year, $185 million deal ahead of the 2023 season.

deGrom looked every bit like that ace on Tuesday, as he allowed two runs over seven innings of work while surrendering just four hits with nine strikeouts. He has now gone 6+ innings and allowed two runs or less in five of his past seven starts.

The Guardians’ lone runs against him came in the first inning, when Chase DeLauter roped a double to left-center field before Kyle Manzardo jumped all over a first-pitch fastball and crushed it a Statcast-projected 396 feet for a home run.

“I just had to flush it there,” deGrom said of Manzardo’s home run. “After that, I just tried to get strike one [on every batter] and go from there.”

Those runs marked the best chance Cleveland’s offense would get off deGrom. After he allowed two runners to reach base in the second inning, deGrom settled in and set down 15 batters in a row before Daniel Schneemann singled in the seventh inning.

“I had a pretty good feel for the slider and changeup,” deGrom said. “They had eight left-handed hitters in the lineup, so for the most part I was able to go arm-side sliders and then go to the back-foot a couple times and move the fastball around.”

deGrom also set some new season benchmarks with his arsenal, as he topped out at 100.5 mph twice (his fastest pitches since April 23, 2023), and he also threw five pitches at 100+ mph for the first time since April 11, 2023.

“That was probably my best fastball of the season,” deGrom said. “It wasn’t bad [before Manzardo’s home run] either. It was a fastball up, and he got to it. I threw it where I wanted to.”

deGrom’s start came with a bit of added pressure given the Rangers only had three relievers available in their bullpen and lost star shortstop Corey Seager to back discomfort just minutes into the game. Oh, and the contest was played in 90 degree weather.

But that was all just another day at the office for the Rangers’ ace.

“I try not to think about it,” deGrom said about the heat. “I grew up in Florida, and it’s pretty warm and muggy there. I actually prefer throwing in the heat over the cold. I knew I wanted to go deep into this game to help the bullpen.”

The Rangers tied the game after Manzardo’s homer thanks to a two-run home run from Joc Pederson in the third, and they took the lead in the seventh inning when Guardians rookie outfielder Cooper Ingle threw the ball in the stands with two outs after catching a fly ball and appearing to think it was the third out. That play allowed Ezequiel Duran to score from second.

They added an insurance run in the eighth inning on a Josh Jung home run off Shawn Armstrong.

“We’ve got really good pitching and have a pretty deep offense,” Jung said. “Whoever’s in the starting nine has put together quality at-bats. That’s what really good teams do.”

deGrom’s outing meant that manager Skip Schumaker only needed to use two of his three available relievers, as Peyton Gray and Jacob Latz each pitched an inning to close out the win.

Although Manzardo’s homer marked the first time the Rangers had trailed on their now six-game winning streak, Schumaker still liked his team's chances based on how electric deGrom’s arsenal looked from the start.

“The fact Jacob has given up some runs early and then stopped has allowed us to win some games,” Schumaker said. “That shows what he’s made of.

“You bet on guys like him; there’s a reason he’s going to be a Hall of Famer.”