Rangers place ace Jacob deGrom on 60-day injured list, schedule MRI
The Texas Rangers moved ace Jacob deGrom to the 60-day injured list Monday due to the elbow inflammation that has sidelined him since April 29.
DeGrom was previously on the 15-day injured list, and the move to the 60-day list is retroactive. The earliest he can return to the Texas lineup is now June 28.
General manager Chris Young told the Dallas Morning News that deGrom's symptoms have "come and gone" while declining to confirm or deny that deGrom had experienced a setback in his recovery. The team will know more Tuesday after deGrom has a second MRI on the injured elbow.
"We want to proceed cautiously and do what’s right by him," Young told the News. "That’s the biggest factor in this move. We want to make sure the inflammation is gone.
"The [symptoms] have come and gone. He’s had good days and bad. It’s not been linear.”
DeGrom, a two-time Cy Young winner with the New York Mets, joined the Rangers last offseason on a five-year, $185 million contract. The soon-to-be 35-year-old made six starts for Texas before landing on the injured list in April. Through 30 1/3 innings, he posted a 2.67 ERA and 0.758 WHIP with 45 strikeouts and four walks.
DeGrom came to the Rangers with a history of injury issues, including a hyperextended elbow and elbow soreness on two separate injury stints. Neither of those injuries sidelined him for an extended period.
In this case, Young expressed confidence that deGrom will recover.
“Jacob will pitch for us, I’m confident of that,” Young said. “I just don’t know the timing. I know the player, the work ethic and the desire. I believe the player knows his body best and knows what his cues are. When there are good days, we take the next step forward.
“I feel it is the responsibility of the organization to play it cautiously and get it right. I don’t know if there is anything wrong, but I’d hate to push it and make it worse by doing something irresponsible.”
Despite the deGrom injury, the Rangers have posted the second-best record in baseball, at 38-20. They hold a 3.5-game lead over the Houston Astros in the AL West.
