Jacob deGrom takes good first step back toward Texas Rangers' rotation

The right-hander allowed one run in two innings for Double A Frisco and bared down after the first two hitters.

FRISCO — Jacob deGrom allowed a double and an RBI single to the first two San Antonio Missions hitters he faced Thursday night, at which point he probably became more ticked off than he was willing to admit afterward.

The results certainly seemed to indicate that he had enough, as he finished his first rehab assignment by retiring five straight batters, three by strikeout, in what rates as a successful outing for Double A Frisco. He threw 29 pitches, 23 strikes, and touched 100 mph on his first strikeout.

“You go throw live BPs, and that’s one thing, but game setting, getting out there, feeling good, that was the most important thing,” deGrom said. “I felt really good. It’s still a work in progress with location. I left a couple fastballs up, but the slider was good and the changeup was good.”

He said that getting on the mound put him in competition mode again, and so did the first two hits on fastballs. In general, hitters hunt the fastball and adjust for off-speed stuff, but minor-league hitters really hunt the heater when facing a major-league rehabber. They abandon their approach and are nothing like major-league hitters.

So, deGrom adjusted.

“I started throwing more sliders,” he said.

What went unsaid: The hitters had no chance against the slider.

Next up for deGrom is, if all goes according to plan, a second rehab start Tuesday. Frisco is at Northwest Arkansas, which is a short flight away, whereas Triple A Round Rock will be home against an Oklahoma City club with some hitters who have big-league time.

Advantage: Round Rock.

Once again, for those still unsure about this whole thing, deGrom said that it is “very important” for him to pitch in a big-league game this season so that he can treat the offseason like he normally would. A few outings for the Texas Rangers would also allow him to get past the mental stigma of being in rehab mode from his second Tommy John surgery as opposed to being done with the rehab.

Scherzer scratched

Before deGrom took the mound, the Rangers announced that Max Scherzer would not be making a rehab start tonight at Frisco. No reason was given other than he just isn’t ready yet.

This comes about a month after he hit the injured list because of right shoulder fatigue. He also had another nerve injection to help his recovery. Scherzer threw a 40-pitch bullpen session earlier Wednesday and was thought to be good to go.

As long as the Rangers are paying Scherzer, they’re going to keep going through the process with him. Unlike deGrom, the Rangers stop paying Scherzer this season. If the Rangers want to keep Scherzer for 2025, albeit at a steep discount, they need to see him pitch.

They just don’t need to see it as much as they do with deGrom.

Card of the Week

Rangers Today caught up with Wyatt Langford on Wednesday morning while he was off in the mail room signing autograph strips for a new series of cards. It’s a tedious task, and the only thing I can equate it to is signing for ownership of a house.

But he’s quickly become a veteran at fulfilling his contractual obligations with Topps despite being a rookie. And despite not having the season he had hoped to have, his cards are still selling at high prices.

Take the Card of the Week, his 2024 Topps Chrome blue wave refractor auto 103/150.

I just thought this was a pretty sharp card. I don’t know if it will go for the opening eBay bid of $199, but his non-insert autographed cards continue to sell for more than $100 and in many cases much more than $100.

Some continue to fetch in the thousands of dollars.

Despite his early struggles and the inconsistencies that plague MLB rookies, especially those who debuted with only 161 minor-league at-bats, the Rangers and scouts believe that Langford is going to be a very good major-league player.

He was selected fourth overall in 2023. The Rangers took right-hander Kumar Rocker third overall in 2022, and he looks like he’s going to be a quality pitcher.

The second overall pick by the Rangers in 2021 was Jack Leiter, and his last two starts have again added some buzz to his name. But look at his entire Triple A season. It’s been very good.

The Rangers need two of those three players to become significant contributors. If all three can do it, they could extend the Rangers’ window of being postseason contenders.

Doggy video!

This mom also wants her kids back in school. Enjoy.

Mom language is universal.. 😅 pic.twitter.com/KFE02W6uxe

— Buitengebieden (@buitengebieden) August 20, 2024

Jeff Wilson, jwilson@alldlls.com