Texas Rangers pitcher Jacob deGrom. Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Jacob deGrom makes Rangers history in 30th start

By Zachary Cariola | Last updated Sep 25, 2025 2:55 PM ET

Though the Texas Rangers have struggled in the past two seasons since winning the World Series in 2023, missing the playoffs in both years, there are some silver linings.

The best part of the Rangers' season, above all else, was that Jacob deGrom finished the season healthy. Wednesday’s start against the Minnesota Twins marked his 30th start. deGrom became the eighth pitcher in Rangers history to have 30+ starts and a sub-3.00 ERA; this was also the first time deGrom had made 30 starts in a season since 2019, when he made 32 starts and won the Cy Young Award.

Jacob deGrom appears to be back to his Cy Young form

After a few injury-plagued seasons, with 2024 being the pinnacle where he missed the entire season after making three starts with a shoulder injury, deGrom has returned to his Cy Young form. He should finish in the top five for the American League Cy Young voting. deGrom went 12-8 with a 2.97 ERA in 172.2 innings and was named an All-Star.

deGrom returning to Cy Young form is good for baseball, as he was on a Hall of Fame trajectory before suffering his injuries. He was also considered one of the top pitchers in baseball. Thankfully, he looks to be back on that track, finishing with a sub-3.00 ERA (with at least 12 starts) for the seventh time in his career.

Texas Rangers have their ace for 2026

deGrom has always been an ace in his career. Now that he’s back to that status, the Rangers should be in a better spot for 2026 to compete for the American League West and make the playoffs.

They have a solid top two with deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi, but will need to sign free agents or make some trades to fill out the rest of the rotation. Merrill Kelly, Tyler Mahle and Patrick Corbin are all free agents at the end of this season.

Zachary Cariola

My name is Zachary Cariola and I have been a sports fan for as long as I can remember. My areas of expertise are MLB, NBA, and NFL. You can find my other work on Southside Showdown from FanSided and at Chicitysports where I cover all Chicago sports. When not watching sports, I love spending time with my family and learning history.

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