Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jacob deGrom (elbow) will make his 2024 season debut on Friday and the two-time Cy Young winner will draw a very favorable matchup against the Mariners, although it comes on the road in Seattle. The Mariners have the lowest team batting average in all of baseball and they also have the highest strikeout rate per game (10.15). deGrom is making his way back from Tommy John surgery and hasn't pitched in the majors since April of 2023, but he made four rehab appearances in which he was his usual dominant self. The four-time All-Star threw a total of 10 2/3 inning, allowing one earned run on four hits and one walk while striking out 15. Four innings was the most he threw in any one of his rehab starts, so he may be somewhat limited in his return, but he'll offer fantasy managers a chance for good strikeout numbers, low ERA, and low WHIP during the fantasy playoffs, so he should be rostered wherever he's still available.
Jacob deGrom Sharp In Rehab Outing, Nearing Return
Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jacob deGrom (elbow) looked sharp in his fourth rehab outing on Saturday and could be nearing a return to the major leagues. The right-hander underwent Tommy John surgery last season and has logged four rehab outings since late August. He logged his longest outing so far on Saturday as he tossed four shutout frames while striking out five batters and surrendering just one hit. Last season in Texas, the two-time Cy Young winner logged 30 1/3 innings to the tune of a 2.67 ERA and a stellar 0.76 WHIP. The 36-year-old could be an excellent starting pitcher down the stretch and is worth stashing on your roster in all formats.
Jacob deGrom To Make Another Rehab Start On Saturday
Texas Rangers right-hander Jacob deGrom (elbow) will make another minor-league rehab start for Double-A Frisco on Saturday. deGrom said earlier this week that the club was deciding whether his next start would be in the big leagues or down on the farm again, and the Rangers have decided to give the former two-time Cy Young winner one more rehab start before allowing him to rejoin the big-league rotation for the first time all year. So far in his three rehab starts for Frisco and Triple-A Round Rock, deGrom has allowed just an earned run on three hits while walking one and striking out 10, but in just 6 2/3 innings total. The 36-year-old will likely be stretched out a little more on Saturday, but he'll only have a few starts to close out the year for Texas and will be a pretty risky fantasy streamer as he makes his return from Tommy John surgery.
Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said the team has discussed having right-hander Jacob deGrom (elbow) make his next start with the big-league club, but it's more likely that deGrom will make one final minor-league rehab start this weekend for Double-A Frisco on Saturday. "That's an option. But I don't think that's what we're going to do," Bochy said. With the Rangers well out of postseason contention, there's really no rush for them to push the 36-year-old veteran back to the big leagues, so it's more likely that he won't make his 2024 debut until next weekend against the division-rival Seattle Mariners. deGrom has been out all season while recovering from his second Tommy John surgery. Fantasy managers expecting him to suddenly return to his Cy Young form for a few starts to close out the year would be foolish.
Jacob deGrom Set To Make Another Start At Triple-A On Sunday
Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jacob deGrom (elbow) is set to start for Triple-A Round Rock on Sunday, Sept. 1, and throw around 45 pitches, according to manager Bruce Bochy. deGrom has slowly begun working his way back from Tommy John surgery and is approaching his return to the majors. The right-hander logged a two-inning start at Triple-A last week, where he did not allow any baserunners and struck out two. He previously got the starting nod at Double-A for a similar two-inning stint on August 22. Bochy expressed that if his next outing goes well, he will head back to Double-A on September 7 to continue to ramp up. Fantasy managers could expect deGrom to return to the major leagues sometime the following week. The two-time Cy Young winner is worth holding onto as he could be a viable starter down the stretch as he posted a strong 2.67 ERA and 0.76 WHIP through his first stint with Texas last season.
Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jacob deGrom (elbow) threw two perfect innings with Triple-A Round Rock on Tuesday, allowing no baserunners and striking out two hitters while throwing 24 pitches (16 strikes). The outing marked deGrom's second start on his minor-league rehab assignment after he threw two innings for Double-A Frisco on Thursday. Manager Bruce Bochy noted on Tuesday in Chicago that deGrom was targeting two innings and around 40 pitches in this outing, and that the veteran right-hander would get some extra work in the bullpen if he proved to be more efficient. deGrom is working his way back from June 2023 Tommy John surgery, and Bochy indicated the righty will increase his workload to three innings and around 50 pitches in his third rehab start. The two-time National League Cy Young Award winner is tracking toward a regular-season debut in early-to-mid September for the Rangers and fantasy managers.
Jacob deGrom Throws 29 Pitches In First Rehab Start
Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jacob deGrom (elbow) made his first minor-league rehab start on Thursday, allowing one earned run on two hits and no walks while striking out three in two innings (29 pitches) with Double-A Frisco. In his first appearance in game action in over 16 months, deGrom touched 100 mph on his fastball in the first inning on Thursday. Manager Bruce Bochy has previously estimated the Rangers' ace's assignment will last four starts, so deGrom will likely make his first big-league appearance this season around mid-September if all goes well in the minors. deGrom's fantasy impact is going to be muted when it's all said and done for 2024, but the two-time National League Cy Young Award winner is certainly someone to stash for those looking to bolster playoff rosters in the season's final weeks.
Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jacob deGrom (elbow) is expected to make four minor-league rehab starts before coming off the injured list, according to manager Bruce Bochy. The right-hander hasn't pitched all season long while he continues to work his way back from Tommy John surgery. The plan is for deGrom to make his first rehab start on Thursday or Friday at Double-A Frisco. If he sticks to his plan, deGrom would come off the around mid-September. That would give him a chance to make two or three starts in the big leagues before the end of the season. Although, the Rangers aren't exactly in playoff position, so there isn't a rush to get deGrom back on the mound. It's unlikely that deGrom offers much if any fantasy value for the rest of the season.
Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jacob deGrom (elbow) faced hitters for the second time on Monday at Fenway Park ahead of the team's game against the hosting Boston Red Sox. Manager Bruce Bochy said deGrom threw approximately 40 pitches while facing Ezequiel Duran and Travis Jankowski over two innings. The Rangers plan for him to face hitters in a live batting practice session one more time before they decide when and where he will head out on a minor-league rehab assignment. Barring any setbacks, deGrom should be able to make his 2024 regular-season debut at some point in late August or early September if he begins his assignment in the next week or so. It remains to be seen how the 36-year-old former National League Cy Young Award winner's velocity will look following his second career Tommy John surgery, but he did turn in a superb 2.67 ERA, 0.76 WHIP, and 45:4 K:BB across 30 1/3 innings last season.
Jacob deGrom To Throw Live Batting Practice On Thursday
Texas Rangers right-hander Jacob deGrom (elbow) is scheduled to throw a 20-pitch live batting practice session on Thursday at Globe Life Field. It will be deGrom's first time facing hitters since having Tommy John surgery in June of last year, and he will continue to slowly build up his arm for a potential late-season return to Texas' starting rotation. However, with the Rangers falling further and further from playoff contention after winning the World Series in 2023, the team has little reason to rush deGrom back for any kind of meaningful innings for the rest of the 2024 campaign. The 36-year-old two-time National League Cy Young winner still needs to go on a minor-league rehab assignment and will most likely be on an innings restriction when he does make his 2024 debut for the Rangers, so fantasy managers shouldn't be expecting much with time running out.
Jacob deGrom
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Rangers
