Jacob DeGrom Makes MLB History

Texas Rangers pitcher Jacob DeGrom achieved a significant milestone during a game against the Seattle Mariners on Sunday. He recorded his 1,800th career strikeout in just two innings, striking out JP Crawford with a fastball clocked at 98.7 mph. This notable achievement makes DeGrom the fastest in MLB history to reach this mark, doing so in only 240 games and 1,493.1 innings.

At 37 years old, DeGrom’s performance put him ahead of other pitching legends. For instance, Randy Johnson, a Hall of Famer, reached 1,800 strikeouts in 243 games, while Chris Sale, currently with the Atlanta Braves, needed 1,498 innings to hit that milestone.

Despite the historical context, DeGrom’s outing was somewhat mixed. He finished the night with five strikeouts and three walks over five innings, allowing four hits—three of which were home runs—in a 5-4 loss. It’s worth noting that he hadn’t given up three home runs in a single game since 2022 when he played for the New York Mets against the Braves.

DeGrom’s current statistics show a 2.55 ERA, though he had faced some challenges, allowing 21 earned runs over 123.2 innings this season. Having signed a five-year, $185 million contract with the Rangers before the 2023 season, there’s significant expectation from fans for him to deliver solid performances.

Historically, DeGrom has been a dominant force, winning consecutive Cy Young Awards in 2018 and 2019, which had some discussing a potential path to 3,000 career strikeouts. However, injuries plagued him almost immediately afterward. In 2021, he only made 15 starts due to forearm tension and elbow inflammation, and he had a delayed start in 2022, undergoing Tommy John surgery later that year—his second such surgery, after having one shortly after being drafted in 2010.

While this first game in 2023 has not gone perfectly, it appears he’s still capable of competing at a high level. DeGrom’s performance continues to be something the Rangers’ organization and their fans have been eager to witness.