Why Jacob deGrom Had Season-Worst Outing for Rangers vs. White Sox

After becoming the most recent pitcher to reach 2,000 strikeouts, Texas Rangers ace Jacob deGrom followed it up with a terrible game.

Texas Rangers pitcher Jacob deGrom. Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Less than a week ago Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jacob deGrom tipped his hat to the home crowd at Globe Life Field after he reached 2,000 career strikeouts. On Tuesday night the Chicago White Sox delivered him a dose of humility he hasn’t experienced this season.

The two-time National League Cy Young winner was unable to get out of the fourth inning of his start against the White Sox, the second of a three-game series at Rate Field in Chicago. What happened in the first inning is quite possibly the worst experience of deGrom’s career that doesn’t involve an injury.

In fact, it had only happened once before.

Jacob deGrom’s Awful First Inning

off to an early lead! pic.twitter.com/v8LTUeS7Mh

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) August 26, 2026

In the first inning deGrom allowed six runs. It was the most runs he’s ever allowed in a first inning and the second time in his career he’s allowed at least six runs in an inning per MLB.com. deGrom also allowed six runs in the fourth inning of a start against Philadelphia Phillies on Sept. 6, 2017.

It put an end to the good vibes of Monday’s 11-run outburst that allowed the Rangers to easily win the first game of the series. A look at deGrom’s game-by-game for the season revealed that he allowed six runs in a game three other times this season — on May 5 against the New York Yankees, on May 22 against the Los Angeles Angels and on June 19 against San Diego.

It got worse for deGrom as he ended up allowing a season-worst eight runs — all earned — in 3.2 innings as he gave up six hits and five walks against two strikeouts.

According to Statcast, deGrom threw his four-seam fastball 51% of the time, indicating that he was missing with his off-speed pitches. That was the case with his slider, a pitch he threw 24%, or 21 times. That pitch didn’t induce a single whiff and batters only swung at it four times. He finished the game with 87 pitches, but only 10 whiffs and 10 called strikes as batters swung at 35 pitches, including 19 of his fastballs.

It was the opposite of his last start against Washington, during which he was utterly dominant as he became the 95th pitcher to do so in MLB history to reach at least 2,000 strikeouts. He gave up one hit in six innings as he struck out 10 and walked one.

This was the worst time for this kind of start from deGrom. Texas entered the contest one-half game ahead of the Houston Astros in the American League West race. When an ace heads to the mound you expect, at minimum, a quality start.

deGrom was nothing of the sort on Tuesday night.