May 10, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jacob deGrom (48)) pitches in the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Vintage Jacob deGrom is Becoming Normal for Rangers After Eight Starts

Originally posted on Texas Rangers on SI
By Matt Postins | Last updated May 11, 2025 12:00 PM ET

DETROIT — One night after Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal struck out 12 hitters and dominated the Texas Rangers, Jacob deGrom said, ‘Hold my beverage.”

deGrom didn’t throw the seven innings Skubal threw on Friday. Nor did he strike out 12 hitters. But what he did in five-plus innings in an 10-3 win over the Tigers at Comerica Park on Saturday was nearly as impressive.

He also did what aces are supposed to do — he helped stop a three-game losing streak as he won his third straight start.

“He had a great slider to go with that big fastball tonight,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said. “He’s a complete pitcher. When he has command of it, especially with two strikes, he can put it where he wants.”

How Impressive was Jacob deGrom Against Tigers?

deGrom (3-1) was impressive in a concentrated period on Saturday. He struck out 10 hitters and, at times, mowed them down in order.

In the first inning he struck out three in a row after giving up a Kerry Carpenter leadoff home run in the first. He struck out the side in the second to push the streak to six straight.

“My slider was really good early on,” deGrom said. “Even the leadoff homer, I put the pitch where I wanted, he (Carpenter) just beat me to the spot.”

After he struck out one in the third and worked out of a two-on jam, he gave up another leadoff home run in the fourth, this time to Riley Greene.

So, deGrom went ahead and struck out the next three hitters. By then he had a season high 10 strikeouts.

Jacob deGrom has TEN strikeouts through the first four innings in Detroit pic.twitter.com/iBiwp5wMPc
— MLB (@MLB) May 10, 2025

He did not get a strikeout in the fifth, and the pitch count caught up to him in the sixth. He gave up a leadoff walk to Gleyber Torres. deGrom gave the umpire an earful as manager Bruce Bochy came out to pull him.

Jacob deGrom is not happy with the strike zone. pic.twitter.com/r9oq1btcKe
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 10, 2025

The line? Five hits, two runs allowed, one walk and 10 strikeouts as his ERA rose slightly to 2.72.

He induced 21 whiffs. His fastball nearly cleared 100 mph and he mixed his slider and four-seam fastball effectively, throwing the two pitches 90% of the time.

“It starts when you locate the fastball, something I wasn’t doing well my first few starts,” deGrom said. “Now that I’m starting to locate the fastball, I can constantly mix it up off that.”

This is the deGrom the Rangers signed to a five-year deal worth $185 million before the 2023 season. Only the elbow injury and ensuing Tommy John surgery derailed what could have been in 2023 and 2024.

But now? Well, now, he’s back. He followed up one of the most impressive outings of the season by Skubal with one of his own was the perfect answer.

This article first appeared on Texas Rangers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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