ARLINGTON — The Texas Rangers played their first meaningless game of the regular season Wednesday night.
The final result had no impact on either side’s season. They were eliminated from playoff contention the day prior. They played a Minnesota Twins team that was theoretically bounced two months ago when it shipped off half of its roster at the trade deadline. They deployed a lineup that could’ve passed for a minor league order with a few major league rehabbers scattered about.
Just don’t tell the guy who’s come to appreciate each and every game he gets.
“It means a lot,” right-hander Jacob deGrom said Wednesday night after his long-awaited 30th start of the season. “It’s been a long time since I’ve done it.”
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The 37-year-old pitched five innings of one-run ball and help snapped an eight-game losing streak in Wednesday’s 4-2 win vs. the Minnesota Twins at Globe Life Field. The critical subtext: It was the final start of deGrom’s remarkable comeback season in which he logged his largest workload in six years and fulfilled his duties as a bona fide ace.
“He’s got to take away, I think, an incredible year, really, coming off of Tommy John” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said, “and to do what he accomplished this year.”
Bochy, twice now this week, has admitted that he’d been skeptical as to whether or not deGrom could make 30 starts. His extensive injury history was one thing. The delicate care required to manage the recovery of a second elbow surgery is another.
His star right-hander was adamant and, at the club’s January Fan Fest, stated 30 starts as his goal. He missed just one, in August, with a case of shoulder fatigue. On Wednesday, after he’d logged his most innings in a single season since 2019 with the New York Mets, deGrom said that he feels like he “can keep running out there.”
“I thought it was realistic,” deGrom said of 30 starts. “This game, it can be tough, and I missed a lot of time. It was a question of how many we could make. I set a goal for 30 and to run out there as many times as I could. I thought it was realistic and I’m happy that I was able to accomplish that goal.”
He was named an All-Star for the first time in four years. His 2.97 ERA was the eighth-lowest in franchise history among pitchers that made 30 or more starts in a single season. It ranks sixth among all qualified American League starters with four days left in the regular season. Only 34 players, as of Wednesday night, have made as many or more starts than deGrom has this year.
“He’s the best pitcher in the world for a reason,” catcher Jonah Heim said. “When you’ve got that guy on your team, he’s going to give you a chance to win each and every day.”
That includes Wednesday’s drought-snapper. He allowed a leadoff home run to Minnesota center fielder Byron Buxton on his second pitch of the game before he retired 15 of the final 17 batters that he faced. The Rangers lifted deGrom after 75 pitches and replaced him with left-hander Robert Garcia to start the sixth inning.
Yes, deGrom acknowledged, he likely would’ve pitched further into the game had the Rangers still been in the hunt. Chalk it up as one of the biggest disappointments that he dealt with as the season wound down. That and the 25 home runs he allowed. Or that stretch of second-half games in which he was, by his high standards, off. Wednesday, in his final post-start press conference this season, he grimaced at the thought of both as he unpacked a wholly impressive campaign.
“He’s a guy who’s definitely hard on himself,” second baseman Marcus Semien said. “You look at those numbers and say, ‘Wow, it’s a great year.’ You ask him and he’s like, ‘Man, I wish I could’ve did this or that.’ He was an All-Star. He was our ace the entire year.”
He’s in a position to play the part again next season. He’ll do so without the cloud of uncertainty hung above him and with another ambitious target set slightly higher.
The baseline deGrom wanted to hit this season, he said, was 162 innings. How about a bigger, round number? Maybe, oh, 200 innings? A few extra in October, too?
“That’s the goal,” deGrom said. “Go out there, throw 200 innings and pitch in the postseason.”
Think it’s lofty?
Just don’t tell him.
He’s already smashed one goal anyways.
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