DeGrom set for season

May 16, 2023

The Rangers’ Jacob deGrom, who hasn't pitched since April 28, is scheduled for season-ending elbow surgery next week.

ARLINGTON — Texas ace Jacob deGrom will have season-ending surgery to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, cutting short his first season with the AL West-leading Rangers after the oft-injured right-hander signed a $185 million, five-year contract.

"We’ve got a special group here and to not be able to be out there and help them win, that stinks," deGrom said with tears in his eyes while pausing several times. "Wanting to be out there and helping the team, it's a disappointment."

General manager Chris Young said Tuesday the decision on surgery came after an MRI on deGrom's ailing right elbow, but the extent of what is required might not be determined until surgery next week.

Tommy John surgery is often needed to fix a torn UCL, but Young and the Rangers didn't go as far as saying the pitcher would have that particular procedure. After being drafted by the New York Mets in 2010, deGrom made six starts in the minors that summer before needing Tommy John surgery and missing all of 2011, three years before his big league debut.

The two-time Cy Young Award winner hasn't pitched since April 28, when he exited early against the New York Yankees because of injury concerns for the second time in a span of three starts. Tuesday's announcement of surgery came a day after deGrom was transferred to the 60-day injured list.

Young said the latest MRI showed more inflammation and significant structural damage in the ligament that wasn't there on the scan after deGrom exited the game against the Yankees. The surgery will be sometime next week.

"The results of that MRI show that we have not made progress. And in fact, we’ve identified some damage to the ligaments," Young said. "It's obviously a tough blow for Jacob, certainly for the Rangers. But we do feel this is what is right for Jacob in his career. We’re confident he’ll make a full recovery."

Young and deGrom, who turns 35 later this month, said the goal is for the right-hander to be back near the end of next season. Both said they were glad to have clarity with what was wrong with the elbow.

Texas won all six games started by deGrom (2-0), but the right-hander has pitched only 30 1/3 innings. He has a 2.67 ERA with 45 strikeouts and four walks. He threw 3 2/3 scoreless innings against the Yankees in his last start before leaving that game because of discomfort in his arm.

Before going home to Florida over the weekend for the birth of his third child, deGrom threw his fifth bullpen session last Wednesday in Detroit.

"I’d have days where I’d feel really good, days where I didn't feel great. So I was kind of riding a roller coaster there for a little bit," deGrom said. "They said originally they just saw some inflammation. Getting an MRI right after you pitch, I feel like anybody would have inflammation. So, I was hoping that it would get out of there and I would be fine. But it just didn't work out that way."

The Rangers signed deGrom in free agency after he played his first nine big league seasons with the New York Mets. He was limited by injuries to 156 1/3 innings over 26 starts his last two years in New York.

DeGrom had a career-low 1.08 ERA over 92 innings during the 2021 season before missing the final three months with right forearm tightness and a sprained elbow.

The four-time All-Star didn't make his first big-league start last year until Aug. 2 after being shut down late in spring training because of a stress reaction in his right scapula.