Jacob deGrom has reasonable goal heading into 2025 season healthy

Jacob deGrom has made 35 starts since 2021. He used to come close to doing that annually, appearing in at least 31 games from 2017-19. But unfortunately, injuries have derailed a Hall of Fame career trajectory. However, the right-handed pitcher is ostensibly entering the 2025 MLB campaign with a clean bill of health and is eager to show it.

Speaking at Rangers Fan Fest, deGrom said he's "excited" to help the Texas Rangers this upcoming season. Tommy John Surgery in 2023 has limited him to nine starts since joining the club on a five-year, $185 during the 2022 offseason. With that in mind, the 36-year-old set a fairly sensible target for his 2025 outlook: Maximizing his outings.

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Jacob deGrom has a sound goal heading into the 2025 season as healthy as he's been in recent memory

"The goal is to go out there and make as many starts as I can to help contribute," deGrom stated (h/t Kennedi Landry of MLB.com). "Things have been feeling really good."

After a long, taxing recovery process, deGrom wants to remind everyone why he was a two-time Cy Young winner at the height of his powers. Everything the hurler has experienced has led him to this moment, and now is the chance to show it.

"So this was the light at the end of the tunnel I was seeing, and last year was moving toward that," deGrom told reporters.

deGrom couldn't contain himself when addressing the media, comparing his feelings to "Christmas morning." It's clear he's been waiting a long time for an opportunity to get back on the mound, and the time is finally coming.

Even if deGrom can reach 20 starts, that'd be a massive accomplishment for him and a sizable boon to the Rangers starting pitching rotation. He's still dominant when physically able to perform, demonstrated by his 2.41 ERA, 0.854 WHIP and 59 strikeouts across 41 innings with Texas.