Jacob deGrom, a two-time Cy Young Award winner, returned to the mound for the first time since undergoing reconstructive right elbow surgery over a year ago. He threw 15 pitches without using breaking balls and expressed optimism about his progress.
“I’m feeling really good,” deGrom said after his bullpen session before the Texas Rangers faced his former team, the New York Mets. “Today was the first time touching the mound, and it went really well. I’m taking it one day at a time. I have two more sessions scheduled this week, and then we’ll continue moving forward.”
DeGrom, who turns 36 in a couple of days, joined the Rangers on a $185 million, five-year deal as a free agent prior to the 2023 season. Meanwhile, the Rangers are anticipating the season debut of Max Scherzer, another Cy Young winner acquired from the Mets last summer. Scherzer, recovering from back surgery, made a successful rehab start recently and is eager to rejoin the rotation.
For both pitchers, managing their recoveries and returning to top form are priorities. DeGrom, familiar with overcoming injuries throughout his career, emphasized the importance of sticking to a careful rehabilitation program to ensure his readiness to compete again.