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The Award That Just Capped Rangers' Jacob deGrom’s Strong 2025 Season

Originally posted on Texas Rangers on SI | By Scott Roche | Last updated Oct 29, 2025 2:00 PM ET

There were some bright spots for the Texas Rangers in what was a frustrating year at times in 2025. They hung around in the American League wild card race, but faltered down the stretch with injuries and an offense that struggled.

The pitching was a bright spot most of the season for the Rangers, and one reason why they had as good a year on the mound was that Jacob deGrom was finally fully healthy. He missed most of the 2023 and 2024 seasons due to Tommy John surgery. He had a very good 2025 season and was rewarded for it.

Rangers Pitcher Jacob deGrom Named American League Players' Choice Comeback Player of the Year

After missing a bulk of the last two seasons, there were questions as to what deGrom would contribute this past season following surgery, but the former New York Mets ace was better than a lot of people expected. It earned him the Players as the AL Comeback Player for this year’s Players' Choice Awards.

“Do I still have it?” After Jacob deGrom's recovery from last year's injury, we can confirm: He still has it.

Congratulations, Jacob, on being voted by the Players as the AL Comeback Player for this year’s Players Choice Awards!@Rangers | @CBSMornings pic.twitter.com/evGf6uaKTx
— MLBPA (@MLBPA) October 29, 2025

This year, deGrom started 30 games and threw 172.2 innings, both of which were season highs for him since the 2019 season with the Mets. He finished with a 12-8 record with a 2.97 ERA with 185 strikeouts and just 35 walks. Over the last two seasons, he made just nine starts combined.

In September, deGrom returned to Citi Field against the Mets and threw seven stellar innings, allowing three runs on four hits in an 8-3 Rangers victory. At one point in the game, he retired 15 batters in a row. Not bad for the 37-year-old who just completed the third year of a five-year, $185 million contract.

“It was really cool,” deGrom said. “This is where it all started and, coming back here, I thought it was going to be a very special day. I’m thankful for the Mets for playing that (video). These fans were great to me when I was here. That was a really nice thing to do.”

This offseason is going to bring change for the Rangers in terms of the starting rotation and the bullpen makeup. There are nine pitchers, five starters, and four relievers that are scheduled to hit free agency, and for a team with payroll questions, they all are not coming back.

What does the front office do with Patrick Corbin and Merrill Kelly? Do they let them walk, do they try and retain one, likely Corbin, or do they dip their toes in free agency? Regardless of what happens, deGrom will be back to anchor the rotation, looking to follow up his strong 2025 season.