Jacob deGrom’s Hall of Fame case has a far simpler answer than voters might think

Having missed the Texas Rangers’ 2023 World Series run with an elbow injury, veteran starter Jacob deGrom is doing everything in his power to finally return to the Fall Classic.

Not only did deGrom punch out 10 and allow only two baserunners in Thursday’s 2-0 victory over the Nationals, but he also recorded his 2,000th strikeout. He’s the second-fastest pitcher to reach 2,000 strikeouts in games (272) and innings pitched, and he did so on a night when the Rangers moved within one game of the AL West-leading Astros.

“He’s a legend,” catcher Danny Jansen said. “He’s an ultimate competitor. He’s fearless on the mound. It’s definitely special. He’s a legend in the game. And it’s cool to be a part of that.”

There is no denying that deGrom is among the greatest pitchers of his time, but will that be enough to land him a spot in Cooperstown? As of Aug. 21, 2026, deGrom is 105-73 with a 2.66 ERA over 13 seasons. The major storyline surrounding his Hall of Fame candidacy will almost certainly be his win-loss record, and understandably so. We typically don’t think of starting pitchers reaching the Hall of Fame with so few victories.

Unfortunately for deGrom, history doesn’t work in his favor when it comes to getting elected to the Hall of Fame. But if there’s any pitcher capable of becoming a trendsetter, then we’re putting our faith in the five-time All-Star.

Texas Rangers pitcher Jacob deGrom should be a lock for the Hall of Fame

Let’s start with the basics. Of the 90 pitchers elected to the Hall of Fame, only 28 have fewer than 200 victories. However, eight of those men were full-time closers, and Dennis Eckersley (197 wins) served as both a starter and reliever throughout his 24 seasons. From there, you’re mostly talking about Negro League pitchers and those who pitched during the dead-ball era. 

Obviously, deGrom fits into none of those categories. He debuted only weeks before his 26th birthday and suffered from a lack of run support throughout his Mets tenure. Consider that he won only 21 of 64 starts during the 2018 and 2019 seasons despite recording 16.6 bWAR, posting a 2.05 ERA, and only allowing 29 home runs in 421 innings.

Given how much the pitching climate has changed leaguewide, credit to the Hall of Fame voters for recognizing that benchmarks like 200 wins or 3,000 strikeouts will be incredibly difficult to reach moving forward. Félix Hernández finished with 169 wins and a 3.42 ERA, but voters have cited the overall context of his career in terms of both dominance and his heavy workload as a young pitcher as reasons why he deserves a bronze plaque. The six-time All-Star appeared on 46.1% of ballots last winter and is trending toward induction within the coming years.

To be clear, we’re not turning this into an in-depth comparison between deGrom and Hernández. But even a decade ago, voters may have been hesitant to elect either pitcher solely because of their counting stats. Objectively, deGrom likely would have had a stronger case thanks to team success and his multiple Cy Young awards, but that’s neither here nor there.

That said, there is a Hall of Fame pitcher whose election could help deGrom immensely.

Sandy Koufax is an intriguing Hall of Fame comparison for Jacob deGrom

We promise that we’re not crazy. Koufax went 165-87 with a 2.76 ERA, but deGrom has the slight edge in ERA, bWAR (49.8 to Koufax’s 48.9), and strikeout and walk percentages. However, the longtime Dodgers ace won three Cy Youngs, four championships, two World Series MVP awards, and threw four no-hitters.

The full comparative chart is fascinating and worth a read. Did you know that deGrom also has a higher bWAR than the likes of Catfish Hunter and Jack Morris? Granted, there is no arguing that deGrom is a far superior pitcher to either of those two, but he lacks the longevity.

“We’re watching a Hall of Famer,” Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said. “That’s my opinion, and I think you know that it’s fun to watch, in my seat, a Hall of Famer go about his business, and at a high, high level.”

Barring disaster, deGrom will be in the Hall of Fame within the next decade. As for what hat he’d wear, we have to imagine that it’d be the Mets, right? Unless deGrom were to go the blank cap route, which is always a, shall we say, bold choice. 

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