Jacob deGrom Makes Second Cactus League Start

PEORIA, Ariz. — Jacob deGrom, making his second Cactus League appearance this spring, described his outing as “fine.”

In his latest performance, deGrom allowed two runs over four innings against the Mariners during a 3-2 loss on Wednesday, giving up four hits, issuing two walks, and striking out three batters. He reflected on his performance, saying it was satisfactory overall.

“I didn’t get the ball down like I wanted to with my slider,” deGrom remarked. “I was missing too much in the middle of the plate. We got away with it the first time through [the order], but I was fighting my mechanics a bit today. I wasn’t working down the mound as I usually do.”

Though deGrom felt good prior to the game during bullpen sessions, he struggled to maintain his mechanics once facing hitters, causing his shoulder to open up and preventing him from adjusting in-game.

His fastball velocity averaged around 95.5 mph, peaking at 97 mph, which is nearly two mph below his average from 2024, though he noted that this was likely related to his energy levels.

“I could let it go more,” deGrom explained regarding his velocity. “But on a day like today, especially with my shoulder flying open, I have to be strategic. I was trying to control my speed and focus on location, but I struggled with accuracy. I’ll have another bullpen session and another game to figure it out.”

This session marked only deGrom’s second appearance in this year’s Cactus League, as the Rangers had decided to ease him into the season. He would have had one more outing before this, but he had to be scratched from a start on March 13 against the Giants due to a stomach issue.

“I feel good health-wise, that’s the main thing,” deGrom stated. “I threw 57 pitches today, which is positive. Now it’s about getting ready for the season.” With injuries impacting the rotation, deGrom is still expected to feature in the back end of the starting lineup, potentially debuting on March 30 against the Red Sox or March 31 against the Reds.

“It’s unfortunate to see injuries in our rotation,” deGrom said. “However, you can’t navigate a season with only five starters. We have depth with players like Jack [Leiter], Kumar [Rocker], and others who are performing well, giving us viable options.”