The Texas Rangers managed to walk away from the 2023 season as crowned World Series champions without their two star pitchers, Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer, fully healthy.
For deGrom, he made just six starts before undergoing Tommy John surgery, but remains optimistic about a return to throwing “sometime this spring,” as he told The Dallas Morning News. He didn’t add any specifics as to when he can return to the team.
Across those six starts, deGrom was 2-0 with a 2.67 ERA and 45 strikeouts.
The two-time Cy Young Award winner signed a five-year, $185-million deal with the Rangers in December 2022. The contract for the injury-prone starter possessed a TJ surgery clause that turns a $37 million option into a team option if deGrom undergoes Tommy John surgery on his right elbow at any point from 2023-2026.
Scherzer, who was acquired by the Rangers during the trade deadline, had to exit the playoffs early due to discomfort in his shoulder.
He told the Associated Press he underwent an MRI that showed some inflammation in his back. The 39-year-old said he had been feeling better before experiencing nerve pain in his leg. After two epidural injections, another MRI revealed a herniated disk. He underwent surgery in December to have that fixed.
“I wasn’t doing anything. Like I wish I could tell you that that was actually jumping off a boat or something crazy,” Scherzer said. “I’m literally hobbling around chasing kids. That was the most extent of what I was doing.”
Scherzer finished his 2023 regular-season campaign with the Rangers and the Mets boasting a 3.77 ERA with 174 strike outs in 152 2/3 strikeouts.
“Now it’s just in the stage of just building back up of where I can get back into it and at the same time (figuring out) how to keep the arm primed as you’re navigating something where the biggest concerns are bending, lifting, twisting,” he added.
About Jessica Kleinschmidt
Jess is a baseball fan with Reno, Nev. roots residing in the Bay Area. She is the host of "Short and to the Point" and is also a broadcaster with the Oakland A's Radio Network. She previously worked for MLB.com and NBC Sports Bay Area.