Jacob deGrom’s Citi Field return stirred emotions as the former Mets ace faced a familiar stage with all eyes on his long-awaited homecoming
18:42 ET, 13 Sep 2025Updated 18:42 ET, 13 Sep 2025
Jacob deGrom played nine seasons for the New York Mets(Image: Getty)
Jacob deGrom couldn’t hide his nerves ahead of his emotional return to Citi Field — even before stepping on the mound, he was fighting butterflies.
DeGrom, now with the Texas Rangers, got one of the warmest welcomes possible from the New York Mets faithful, a far cry from how Yankees fans treated Mets star Juan Soto in his return. Before the first pitch, as deGrom warmed up in center field, the stadium screens rolled a tribute video.
The Mets, who are currently plummeting in the MLB Wild Card picture, followed it with Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Simple Man,” a song that has long been synonymous with deGrom’s pregame routines. He paused, tipped his hat, and let the moment wash over him.
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“I wanted to throw up all day. Honestly, it felt like I was making my debut,” he admitted after a night that felt more like a homecoming than just another road start.
When the game began, deGrom didn’t just soak up the moment — he did what’s now expected of him: dominate. Facing the Mets for the first time since his departure in free agency, he went seven sharp innings, giving up three runs on four hits, issuing zero walks, and striking out two.
After New York’s brief offensive burst in the third, deGrom settled in. The Rangers backed him with early run support — six runs in the very first inning, all with two outs — and the Mets just couldn’t catch up.
“I went in between [innings] and I looked at the pitches they were hitting off me. On some of those, I have to tip my cap,” he said.
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“They are good hitters over there and I said, ‘Hey, we have to mix it up a little more and not be so one-dimensional.”
It was more than a win for deGrom; it was proof of where he is now. At 37 and coming off multiple surgeries — including a second Tommy John — many wondered if his edge had dulled. But his performance suggested otherwise.
Emotion was always going to be part of this night. DeGrom later reflected on how special it was to step back onto “his mound,” the same one at Citi Field he pitched so many times before donning a different uniform.
“It was really cool,” deGrom said.
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“This is where it all started and, coming back here, I thought it was going to be a very special day. I’m thankful for the Mets for playing that . These fans were great to me when I was here. That was a really nice thing to do.”
When asked about having his number retired at Citi Field, he said, “That’s not really my decision. It’s a huge honor. Every time I took this mound for the Mets, I felt I left it all out there.
“There were some times where I got injured. You can’t really control that.”