Jacob deGrom is inching ever so closely to a return to the Rangers roster as he continues to rehab from a lengthy injury spell.
The Texas Rangers’ chances of reaching the 2024 postseason are virtually gone. As of Monday, they have a 60-71 record and are 12.5 games behind a wild card spot in the American League—an almost insurmountable deficit with only 31 games left in the season.
Fangraphs currently gives them a 0.2 percent chance of making the playoffs, which aligns with their position in the league standings. However, Rangers fans might still find some interest in following the team towards the end of the season, even as they come to terms with what has been a disappointing year.
During a guest spot on MLB Network Radio this Sunday, Rangers general manager Chris Young shared that veteran pitcher Jacob deGrom, who has been sidelined for the entire 2024 season so far, is getting closer to making a return to the major leagues. deGrom has been out due to Tommy John surgery.
“He’s not far from rejoining the major league team. We’ll see how his next outing goes [at Triple-A] and plan a sensible approach for him to pitch through September, helping him get back into form for 2025,” Young said, according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network.
With only 31 games remaining in the Rangers’ season, deGrom might have the opportunity to make up to five or six starts before the year ends. This would help him get back to game speed after his last appearance on April 28, 2023. This could give Texas an idea of how much he has left after struggling with injuries over the past three seasons.
At 36, deGrom faces challenges from both age and injury issues, which could affect his future prospects. Nonetheless, his impressive history of elite performance means his return is likely to attract attention, even from Rangers fans who may have lost interest in the season after a disappointing World Series defense.
With deGrom set to return in September, it will have been 16 months since he last played for the Rangers, following his signing of a five-year, $185 million contract in December 2022. Despite limited appearances, he showed glimpses of his former self last season, posting a 2.67 ERA in six starts, with metrics suggesting he deserved an even better performance.
