Rangers’ Jacob deGrom Leaves Start With Concerning Arm Issue

The Texas Rangers are in the midst of a difficult stretch. After dropping three straight games, Texas has fallen two games below .500 and lost three of four against the Los Angeles Angels.

Thursday night brought even more concern.

Jacob deGrom started for the Rangers with the hope of helping the team stop its slide, but the veteran right-hander was forced to leave early with right triceps fatigue. Texas ultimately suffered a 7-0 loss to the Angels.

deGrom surrendered two runs on six hits over just two innings before exiting. Manager Skip Schumaker explained that he did not want to take any chances once the issue with deGrom’s triceps became apparent.

“I wasn’t going to risk it once I heard the tricep,” Schumaker said after the game.

Jacob deGrom Leaves Angels Start Early

The loss dropped deGrom to 8-8 on the season with a 3.95 ERA, but his health is now a much bigger concern for the Rangers.

Texas is already dealing with the absence of Nathan Eovaldi, making any extended absence for deGrom potentially damaging to the team’s postseason hopes. The Rangers remain within striking distance in the American League race, sitting just two games behind the Houston Astros in the AL West and only a half-game behind the Detroit Tigers for the final wild-card spot.

That makes deGrom’s availability particularly important.

Even in a relatively wide-open American League, the Rangers cannot afford to lose one of their top pitchers for a significant stretch. They will need deGrom healthy if they hope to remain in contention and make a serious postseason push.

There is also reason for concern given deGrom’s injury history. The two-time Cy Young winner underwent Tommy John surgery in 2023 and missed Texas’ World Series run. While triceps fatigue may not initially sound serious, the situation could become much more significant depending on what the upcoming testing shows.

If the injury is worse than expected, the Rangers could potentially lose deGrom for an extended period, and an absence lasting the rest of the season would be devastating. Losing both of their top starters would make a playoff push considerably more difficult.

For now, however, deGrom does not appear overly concerned.

“I’m not too concerned,” deGrom said after the game. He added that he hopes to make his next start, explaining that his triceps became tight during the second inning and did not loosen up. He also noted that he had not experienced that particular issue before.

Jacob deGrom to Undergo Imaging Friday

The Rangers plan to have deGrom undergo imaging on Friday to determine the extent of the problem.

The results should provide a clearer picture of whether he will need to miss time. If the issue proves minor, deGrom could potentially avoid a stint on the injured list, although leaving Thursday’s game after only two innings is certainly not an encouraging sign.

The Rangers will now wait for the imaging results before determining their next steps.

For a team trying to stay in the playoff race, the stakes are significant. Texas needs deGrom healthy, and the results of Friday’s examination could have a major impact on the remainder of its season.