SURPRISE, Ariz. -- When Jacob deGrom pitches, all eyes are on him. That includes a simple bullpen session during the opening week of Spring Training.
On Saturday, deGrom threw his first bullpen since the start of camp, paired up with new Rangers catcher Kyle Higashioka. deGrom said he threw on Tuesday, a day before Texas’ first workout for pitchers and catchers, delaying his next bullpen until four days after camp began.
Manager Bruce Bochy said deGrom looked good and healthy.
“Everything was Jacob, so it was good to see him out there,” Bochy said. “I think everybody was excited to see him, and I'm sure he was a little nervous even though he's a veteran. But it was smooth sailing. All went well. It's effortless for him, and to command it the way he does, it’s just a gift. That's what elite pitchers do, is have the stuff and the command. It's like a whip. It just comes through so easy. I'm amazed that some of these guys can do what they can do, and he's one of them.”
Health will always be a topic of conversation when it comes to deGrom, so entering Spring Training fully healthy means a lot for him and for the organization.
The right-hander underwent his second Tommy John surgery in June 2023, just six starts into his Texas tenure. He made three starts last September, recording a 1.69 ERA in 10 2/3 innings over three starts as he got his feet back under him.
Now, deGrom enters the 2025 season healthy and is ready to hit the ground running. He hasn’t eclipsed 100 innings since 2019 (204 in 32 starts), when he won his second Cy Young Award while with the Mets. The 36-year-old is ready to be a consistent force on the mound once again.
“The goal is to get out there as many times as I can,” deGrom said last month. “We have to be smart with it. We don't want to jump to 200-and-something innings, but I'd like to be able to go out there and make 30 [starts]. That's the goal. You sign here to pitch. I haven't been able to do that. So the goal is to go out there and make as many starts as I can to help contribute.”
It’s no shock that a healthy deGrom could be a game-changer for the Rangers this season. Though he only made six starts in 2023, the Rangers won each of them, helping them reach the postseason as a Wild Card team before they won the World Series.
If deGrom is anything close to his peak form, everybody is in for a show.
“You’re talking about one of the elite pitchers in the game today, even ever in the game,” Bochy said. “To throw with that velocity, with that command, there's nobody better. That's how good he is. He’s totally healthy. He's good to go. We're looking forward to having him in this rotation. We missed him, and I thought it was big for him to come back last year and get some work. He's in a really good place, and you'll see more of one of the best pitchers in the game if he stays healthy.”
Kennedi Landry covers the Rangers for MLB.com.