As the curtain falls on the 2025 Texas Rangers season, one story stands out as a testament to resilience and defied expectations: Jacob deGrom’s remarkable comeback. Once written off as injury-prone, deGrom silenced the doubters by making a whopping 30 starts—a feat many thought he’d never achieve in a single season, let alone after multiple setbacks. But here’s where it gets controversial: Was his 2025 campaign a return to ace-level dominance, or just a solid performance from a mid-rotation starter? Let’s dive in.
When the Rangers signed deGrom after the 2022 season, the narrative was clear: he was a risk. After all, his durability had been questioned following a string of injuries, including two Tommy John surgeries. From 2021 to 2024, deGrom started just 35 games combined, a far cry from his workhorse days with the Mets. The haters had a point—until 2025, when he not only started 30 games but also logged 172 innings, putting those health concerns to rest… for now.
But this is the part most people miss: deGrom’s 2025 stats tell a nuanced story. His 2.97 ERA was impressive, ranking 13th among pitchers with 150+ innings. Yet, his ERA+ (123) and bWAR (2.9) placed him lower in the rankings, partly due to the Rangers’ stellar defense and pitcher-friendly ballpark. His fWAR (3.4) and xERA (3.36) painted a slightly rosier picture, but the question remains: Is deGrom still an ace, or has he evolved into something else?
Here’s where it gets even more intriguing: deGrom’s strikeout rate (27.7%) and walk rate were both excellent, but they weren’t the otherworldly numbers we saw in his 2021 Cy Young-worthy season. His velocity, while still elite at 97.5 mph, has dipped slightly from his Mets days. And then there’s the elephant in the room: his career-high HR/9 rate, which ballooned in the second half of the season. Through June, he allowed just 9 homers in 16 starts; from July to September, he gave up 17 in 10 starts. Is this a fluke, or a sign of things to come?
And this is the part that sparks debate: deGrom’s transformation into a fly ball pitcher. Since joining the Rangers, his ground ball rate has dropped below 40%, a stark contrast to his Mets years. While this shift isn’t entirely new, it raises questions about his ability to limit damage in a league increasingly dominated by power hitters. Was his late-season homer surge a result of fatigue from his first full season post-surgery, or a trend we’ll see in 2026?
Here’s a thought-provoking question for you: Can a 37-year-old deGrom sustain a full workload without regressing, or are we witnessing the twilight of a once-dominant ace? His Hall of Fame case is already fascinating—a late bloomer with a historic peak but limited career numbers. If he returns to his first-half 2025 form, the Rangers could have one of baseball’s best pitchers. But if the second-half struggles persist, it could be a different story.
What do you think? Is deGrom still an ace, or has Father Time caught up? Let’s discuss in the comments!
