The injury bug has struck again for the former Mets ace Jacob deGrom.
The Texas Rangers right-hander, who has been on the injured list since April, will undergo Tommy John surgery next week to repair a torn UCL in his right elbow. He will miss the remainder of the 2023 season and the beginning of next.
“This stinks,” deGrom told reporters. “It is not ideal but at least we know what it is now. I want to get it fixed and will set a goal to be back before the end of next season.”
Despite his injury history, the Rangers took a chance on deGrom, signing him to a five-year, $185 million deal this offseason.
After a slow start in spring training, deGrom made six starts for Texas before being sidelined. The righty had started throwing bullpen sessions and was working towards a return, when the team transferred him to the 60-day IL.
It wasn’t clear if this was just a roster space move or deGrom had suffered a setback. Now, just two days later, he has been shut down for the remainder of the season.
“I feel bad for Jake,” Mets manager Buck Showalter said pregame. “If I know Jake he’ll go get the surgery and finish his career strong. I feel awful for him. I know how much it means for him to pitch, he enjoys pitching. Certainly sad news for all of us.”
This is the second time in his career deGrom will be undergoing Tommy John surgery; the first took place while he was in the minors with the Mets.
“He’s special,” right-hander Justin Verlander added. “Anybody who’s a fan of baseball just wants to see Jake be healthy and go pitch. A few years back, you were bale to see what he can do, stringing together a few healthy seasons. Everybody would love to see that again, including me .”
This is a huge blow, not just for the Rangers, but for baseball.