Texas Rangers Now Healthy Ace Looking To Regain Form in Spring Training

A Texas Rangers ace is looking to get back on track after a few injury-marred campaigns.

Sep 20, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers pitcher Jacob deGrom (48) catches a ball in the second inning against the Seattle Mariners at Globe Life Field. | Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

The Texas Rangers are poised to bounce back in 2025 after an incredibly disappointing 2024 campaign.

World Series champions in 2023, the Rangers didn’t even qualify for the playoffs last season as they dealt with a multitude of injuries and down years from some of their key contributors.

A bounce back is certainly possible this upcoming campaign given the moves that general manager Chris Young made in the offseason. The bullpen has been remade and he added power to the lineup with Jake Burger and Joc Pederson.

Outfielder Adolis Garcia and catcher Jonah Heim are both expected to get back on track for what is arguably the deepest lineup in baseball.

Alas, the player who everyone will be keeping an eye on in spring training this year is superstar ace, Jacob deGrom.

The two-time Cy Young Award winner has not yet had the kind of impact on the field that the Rangers were hoping for when they signed him to a five-year, $185 million deal ahead of the 2023 campaign.

Texas knew the risks involved, as deGrom had struggles staying on the mound toward the end of his tenure with the New York Mets. In his final three years with the franchise, including the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season, he made only 38 starts.

After making six starts in 2023 he had to undergo Tommy John surgery, sidelining him out for the remainder of that campaign and a large chunk of 2024.

deGrom was able to get back on the mound and make three starts in September, a huge accomplishment because it enabled him to have a normal offseason not having to focus on rehab.

Healthy heading into camp, all eyes will be on him as Kennedi Landry of MLB.com believes he will be the No. 1 storyline to watch in spring training.

Can he regain his Cy Young form?

It certainly looks like it, though it can be argued that he has never lost it.

His appearances with the Rangers have been limited, but his production has remained on par with what he was doing with the Mets when at the height of his career.

It will be interesting to see what kind of plan the team creates to not only keep him healthy but ensure that he is available and pitching at a high level deep into the year.

2019 was the lsat time he pitched more than 100 innings in a season, so the concerns about him staying fresh are legitimate.

Making 25 starts and being available for what could be a deep postseason run would be huge for the Rangers as they look to cement their status as contenders again in the American League.