ARLINGTON -- Four days ago, Rangers ace Jacob deGrom stood in front of his locker in the home clubhouse at Globe Life Field and asserted his intentions to play here and win here.
As the hours to this year’s Trade Deadline counted down on Aug. 3, reports began floating around that the Rangers asked deGrom if he would be willing to waive his no-trade clause after a number of teams expressed their interests.
But deGrom wants to win in Texas, here with the Rangers. And he also knows that he hasn’t pitched to the best of his abilities, either. If this club is going to make a postseason push, he knows he needs to be part of the solution.
In Saturday’s 5-1 win over the Orioles at Globe Life Field, deGrom got himself back on track, allowing just one run -- a Jackson Holliday homer -- over five innings, while striking out nine. Shortstop Corey Seager broke the game open with a two-out, three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning, giving the Rangers much-needed insurance runs. It was his first home run since returning from his most recent injured list stint on July 31 due to a nagging back issue.
“You've heard me use the term aircraft carriers, and that's what they look like,” said manager Skip Schumaker of his leaders. “Corey Seager is that guy. Jacob deGrom is that guy.”
“That's why those two horses at the top, you know, [Nathan Eovaldi] and deGrom are so special,” Schumacher added later. “You expect to win when it's their day. I'm sure there were a lot of emotions whether [deGrom is] going to admit it or not. But he stepped up and he gave us exactly what we needed.”
It’s deGrom’s first win since June 30 in Cleveland, which was the last time he’s gone more than five innings in a start. Entering Saturday, deGrom was 0-2 with a 6.50 ERA (13 ER/18 IP) in his past four starts, unable to record an out in the sixth inning once in that span. Most recently, in the days leading up to the Deadline, deGrom allowed four runs in 3 1/3 innings in Houston to give up the division lead to the Astros.
“I try to take it one pitch at a time, and tonight I felt like I did a better job of attacking,” deGrom said. “I think in Houston, I knew that was a big series, and I almost look back at it like I was trying too hard. I was trying to be too fine, walking guys. Tonight, I came into this one [and] I was like, ‘Look, I'm gonna take it one pitch at a time. I'm gonna try to hit my spot, and I'm gonna be aggressive over the plate.’ I was able to do that. That was the mindset switch that I had going into this one.”
While he didn’t go terribly deep into the game as a minor nagging hip/glute issue resurfaced, this was the type of start both the Rangers and deGrom needed as they attempt to hold onto the final American League Wild Card spot and get themselves back atop the AL West.
deGrom admitted it was important to give the team a chance to win today. There’s no getting around how big every win is going to be down the stretch this season. But reiterated again that he doesn’t feel he needs to do too much.
He just needs to put the team in a position to win.
“It was probably a little bit emotional for him today,” Seager said. “A little extra gear, a little extra want, I guess, is a good word. He went out there and proved why he wanted to be here and why he's been here and why he's been the best, and why we want him to be here. So it was fun to watch.”
deGrom got a ring in his first year with the Rangers in 2023. He still contributed to getting them in the postseason, though, as Texas won all six of his starts in the regular season. But a torn UCL shut him down in late April and he missed out on pitching during the World Series run.
He wants to be able to help this team get to the postseason once again. And deGrom believes this team and the players in that clubhouse have the ability to do it.
“We've always believed it,” Seager said. “But when somebody goes out and says that and says that's why he wanted to stay, that means a lot. That goes a long way in a clubhouse. I think people are rallying behind that and that’s exciting.”