Whether it was out of loyalty to the New York Mets or simply preferring to maintain the status quo, Texas Rangers pitcher Jacob deGrom reportedly refused a trade to the Atlanta Braves this past deadline.
But as was often the case during deGrom’s tenure in Queens, the Braves are getting the last laugh. The likely future Hall of Famer allowed eight earned runs, including six in the first inning, during Tuesday's 11-7 loss to the White Sox. Elsewhere, the Astros defeated the Yankees, enabling Houston to regain a half-game lead over Texas in the AL West.
Although he recently recorded his 2,000th strikeout, deGrom owns a career-worst 4.21 ERA through 25 starts. He’s already had four outings where he's allowed six or more runs, an incredible feat considering that he never did it from 2020-25.
“I’ve got to figure out a way to get outs, and I wasn't able to do it,” deGrom said. “Walks, falling behind. I have to do a better job. So I did a terrible job, and that’s what it is.”
The Atlanta Braves should be pleased they didn’t trade for Jacob deGrom
To give you an idea of how incredible deGrom was in his prime, he allowed 96 earned runs over 421 innings from 2018-19. Both of those seasons ended with a Cy Young Award and turned him from a solid middle-of-the-rotation starter to a generational ace.
DeGrom has been uncharacteristically wild in the second half, surrendering 37 hits and 15 walks in nearly 30 innings. When he does hit the strike zone, he’s not sending opposing hitters to the bench. Instead, they’re hitting .298 with a .785 OPS against him over those seven starts, and he's not even averaging five innings per start.
The Braves are busy enough trying to hold off the Phillies in the NL East. Watching a 38-year-old deGrom lose what remained of his All-Star form is a problem that Atlanta wouldn’t have needed, and we’re seeing how much trouble he’s causing the Rangers. Despite once again fielding an above-average payroll, Texas is on pace to miss the playoffs for the ninth time in 10 seasons.
Luckily for the Rangers, the exception ended with a World Series title in 2023, though elbow surgery limited deGrom to six games. If he stays healthy and Texas makes the playoffs, deGrom would have an opportunity to make only his second postseason start since the 2015 World Series.
Barring any schedule changes, deGrom will get his next opportunity to right the ship against the Athletics next Monday. What better way to get back on track than by facing a team that is 11-26 and has been outscored by nearly 100 runs in the second half?
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