Rangers Ace Jacob deGrom Has One of Most Devastating Breaking Balls in MLB

In an effort to help keep Jacob deGrom healthy, the Texas Rangers devised a game plan that would have him scale back his velocity.

The goal was to place less wear and tear on his arm, which has undergone multiple procedures and surgeries over the years.

Injuries have unfortunately been a consistent hurdle for deGrom to get over in recent years. Coming into 2025, the last time that he made more than 15 starts in a single campaign was back in 2019 with the New York Mets.

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In his first two seasons with the Rangers, he managed to make only nine starts; six in 2023 before undergoing Tommy John surgery and three in 2024 after he made a late-season return to the mound.

Those three starts helped deGrom have a normal offseason ramping up his throwing program instead of having to focus on rehabilitation.

It seems to have worked wonders, with the two-time National League Cy Young Award winner performing at the high level he has been accustomed to throughout his career.

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Most importantly, he has stayed healthy, making 19 starts in the first half of the season as the only starting pitcher for Texas who didn’t land on the injured list at least once.

deGrom has been incredibly reliable for manager Bruce Bochy, throwing 112.1 innings with 113 strikeouts and a 2.32 ERA. The owner of a 9-2 record, he has an American League best .818 winning percentage and has already produced 3.0 bWAR.

Named an All-Star for the first time since 2021, he has been everything the Rangers could have hoped for and more.

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What has led to such excellent production from deGrom this year?

He has been able to rely on one of the best breaking balls in the sport, with his slider being amongst the most valuable offerings in the MLB.

His slider has a +12 Run Value, leaving opponents baffled despite a purposeful drop in velocity with his entire arsenal.

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“A big part of his success has stemmed from his dominant slider, which has produced 57 strikeouts and a .267 slugging percentage in 185 plate appearances ending on the pitch,” wrote Brent Maguire of MLB.com.

His overall Breaking Run Value of +13, as shared by Baseball Savant, is the best in the MLB, ranking in the 100th percentile.

Overall, he has provided Texas with elite results on the mound, producing an impressive +23 Pitching Run Value, which is in the 98th percentile.

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