Apr 11, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jacob deGrom (48) throws during the first inning against the Kansas City Royals at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
MLB: Kansas City Royals at Texas Rangers
(New York, NY) — The Rangers announced Tuesday that right-hander Jacob deGrom will undergo Tommy John reconstructive elbow surgery.
It’s a devastating blow for Texas who emphatically stated deGrom was turning a corner a couple of weeks ago.
The flame thrower will now miss the remainder of the 2023 season, and the first few months of the 2024 while recovering.
“This stinks,” deGrom said through tears on Tuesday. “It’s not ideal. But at least we know what it is now. I want to get it fixed and will set a goal to be back before the end of next year.”
The 34-year-old finishes his first season with the Rangers pitching just 30 1/3 innings across six starts.
When on the hill, deGrom was as fantastic, compiling a 2.67 ERA and 0.76 WHIP.
“We have gone backwards. The MRI revealed damage that was significant,” Rangers GM Chris Young said. “We have gone backwards. The MRI revealed damage that was significant.”
It’s the second Tommy John surgery for deGrom, with the first coming in the minor leagues back in 2010. Undergoing a second Tommy John surgery is believed to be a riskier procedure than the first time around.
deGrom has not thrown more than 100 innings in a season since 2019.
The two-time Cy Young award winner inked a five-year, $185 million deal with Texas this past offseason.
Despite getting only six starts from deGrom, the Rangers entered play Wednesday with baseball’s second-best record (40-20) and a 4 1/2-game lead in the AL West
