Texas ace Jacob deGrom will undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery, shortening his first season after the injury-prone right-hander signed a five-year, $185 million contract with the Rangers .
General manager Chris Young said Tuesday that the decision on the surgery was made after an MRI on deGrom’s right elbow.
The two-time National League Cy Young Award winner hadn’t pitched since April 28, when he left early against the New York Yankees due to injury problems for the second time in a span of three starts. The surgery announcement came a day after deGrom was placed on the 60-day disabled list.
Young said the latest MRI showed more inflammation and significant structural damage that wasn’t there on the scan after deGrom left the game against the Yankees.
The Rangers signed deGrom, who turns 35 later this month, in free agency after playing his first nine major league seasons with the Mets. He was limited by injuries to 156 1/3 innings in 26 starts in his last two years in New York.
DeGrom posted a career-low 1.08 ERA in 92 innings during the 2021 season before missing the final three months with a strained right forearm and sprained elbow.
The four-time All-Star didn’t make his first major league start last year until Aug. 2, after being suspended late in spring training due to a stress reaction in his right scapula.
Texas won all six games started by deGrom (2-0), but the right-hander pitched just 30 1/3 innings. He has a 2.67 ERA with 45 strikeouts and four walks. He pitched 3 2/3 shutout innings against the New York Yankees on April 28 before leaving that game with an arm injury.