Jacob deGrom's start may have been short, but on Friday he showed a glimpse of what has made him one of the best pitchers in baseball over the past decade.
Making his first start since undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2023, deGrom pitched 3 2/3 scoreless innings against the Rangers and Mariners, striking out four.
His top fastball velocity was 98.7 mph, he reached at least 97 mph 20 times and he also struck out 10 times.
Although he allowed a single to the leadoff batter in the first inning, he managed to get out of trouble by striking out both pitchers Julio Rodriguez and Randy Arozarena.
DeGrom ended his night in the fourth inning after allowing a double and a single, but reliever Walter Pennington got through and prevented Seattle from scoring.
The two-time Cy Young Award winner threw 41 of his 61 total pitches for strikes.
“I haven't played in a long time,” the former Mets ace told reporters on Thursday. “I'm excited to be playing again. I'm really looking forward to tomorrow.”
