Jacob DeGrom hit the running mound on Saturday.
In his spring 2025 training debut, the Rangers ace threw two perfect innings and hit three batters without allowing a base runner.
DeGrom looked like his usual self at Arizona's Surprise Stadium, leading the batter at 98 mph with his fastball, making the batter look stupid with sliders and curveballs.
In the first innings, DeGrom punched 2024 American League MVP runner-up Bobby Whitt Jr. on four pitches, blew him out for Strike 3 on the 91.5 mph slider way in the strike zone.
“It felt good,” DeGrom said after the start. According to MLB.com “We were a little late this spring, but getting out there is clearly a big plus, and I was able to find it pretty well.
“The slider was good. I threw some curveballs, the fastballs were good. Everything feels good. The main thing is healthy. And I look forward to getting back there.”
After undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2023, the right wants a healthy 2025 after being limited to three starts last season.
The right-handed flamethrower is about to get through his first, completely healthy season since the 2020 shortening campaign.
The former Met is expected to be the fifth starter for the Rangers that open the season, allowing him to get an extra day in each of the first five starts.
The injury has hindered DeGrom in recent seasons, limiting him to just 35 starts over the past four years.
When he was healthy, DeGrom was one of the best pitchers in baseball,
With over 218 careers underway, DeGrom recorded a whopping 2.52 ERA with a whopping 1,666 strikeouts in just 1,367 innings.
His 5.41 strikeout-to-walk ratio is the biggest MLB record ever.
Degrom won the National League Cy Young Awards for the Mets in 2018 and 199, winning award votes in four seasons.
