CHICAGO -- Jacob deGrom really doesn’t want to have to keep saying it. It’s almost like these exact words have come out of his mouth, copied and pasted for a different start.
“I’ve got to do a better job,” deGrom said. “I put us in a bad spot to start the game. I've said that too many times to you guys this year. It's frustrating. Tonight's on me. I gave up six in the first. I’ve got to figure out a way to get outs, and I wasn't able to do it. Walks, falling behind. I have to do a better job. So I did a terrible job, and that's what it is.”
deGrom allowed eight runs -- six in the first inning -- and shouldered the loss as the Rangers fell, 11-7, to the White Sox on Tuesday night at Rate Field.
The Rangers’ offense made a valiant effort, but shutdown innings were few and far between for both clubs. Jake Burger, Justin Foscue and Danny Jansen all homered as Texas mounted the comeback attempt, but Chicago kept adding to its lead, never letting Texas closer than within three runs.
deGrom didn’t record his first out until the sixth batter of the game, a Chase Meidroth popout to Burger. deGrom ultimately threw 42 pitches in the opening frame as the White Sox sent 10 to the plate, collecting five hits and two walks.
The six runs he allowed tied his most ever in a single inning (fourth inning on Sept. 5, 2017, for the Mets against the Phillies). The 42 pitches for deGrom is also the second most he's thrown in any inning, behind a 45-pitch first inning for the Mets on May 13, 2018, in Philadelphia.
The eight total runs he allowed is the most since Sept. 5, 2017 (nine runs, which was his career high).
“It was a tough first inning all the way around, unfortunately,” manager Skip Schumaker said. “They put together some good at-bats against deGrom. We had some defensive miscues early on, and I thought they did a good job on the other side with really not swinging and missing against deGrom’s really good slider. … There was a lot of -- unfortunately -- just some uncharacteristic control from Jacob. I think you can tell the frustration he had on the mound with some walks and some pitches that were borderline that they took. That’s a credit to them.”
deGrom's night really comes down to his slider, which has been a dominant pitch for him in his career. In the loss, he threw 21 of them. He didn’t get a single whiff or chase and only threw four for strikes.
It’s the first time he’s gotten zero whiffs on a slider since May 9, 2021, although he left that start early after 68 pitches due to injury and only threw five sliders. Before that, his last start with zero whiffs on the slider was on April 9, 2019 (97 pitches, eight sliders).
“It was just a ball out of hand,” deGrom said. “It was not competitive. I felt like I had a decent fastball, but the slider off of it was absolutely terrible. I did a bad job, and that's why we lost this baseball game. … I threw a couple for strikes, but when I can't do it consistently, it's a little bit easier to check off. The changeup was fine. I left the one up, but I was behind a lot tonight. Like I said, just all around a poor job by me.”
deGrom is well aware that he needs to be the best version of himself if the Rangers want to get to where they want to go. But he also admittedly has not looked like himself at various stretches this season. He stood there and shouldered the blame for a number of losses, especially in the second half as he’s put together a 6.67 ERA in seven starts and just 29 2/3 innings.
Between 2020-25, deGrom had no starts in which he allowed six or more runs. After Tuesday, he’s got four this season.
“I haven't looked [close at the other starts],” deGrom said of his uncharacteristic lack of consistency. “I try not to dwell on the ones that haven't gone well. This one was really bad, and it just boils down to location and making pitches when I need to. I just haven't been able to do that with runners on, walking people, falling behind. The good starts, I’m ahead strike one, I’m locating down, moving the ball around up, whatever. Good sliders. Tonight was just terrible.”