SURPRISE, Ariz. – Jacob deGrom returned to the mound in 2023 with a season that many would call worthy of the Comeback Player of the Year Award. Starting 30 games for the Texas Rangers, he earned an All-Star nod, pitched enough innings to qualify for the ERA title for the first time this decade, and reached 1,700 career strikeouts faster than any pitcher in history. The campaign also saw him finishing among the top contenders for the Cy Young Award, providing plenty of accomplishments to reflect on after the season.
However, rather than focusing on these successes, deGrom chose to concentrate on a particular area that troubled him the most—home runs allowed.
Concerns Over Home Runs Marked deGrom’s Season
DeGrom was open about his frustration with the homers that hurt him last year.
“There were just some misses over the middle of the zone,”
he said after throwing his first bullpen session of spring training.
“When I did miss, it seemed to be a home run. So I want to try to eliminate those. When I missed over the middle, there was damage. The homers. I can’t stand them.”
Despite an impressive 12-8 record and a 2.97 ERA across 172 innings, deGrom surrendered 26 home runs—his second-highest single-season total and his highest rate per nine innings at 1.4. This was nearly double his career average of 0.8 homers per nine innings prior to the season. His fastball, often regarded as one of the best in the game, accounted for 16 of those home runs, the most he has ever given up on the pitch.
Notably, deGrom allowed 10 homers in 244 at-bats when he was ahead in the count, representing an alarming rate four times higher than his previous career norm of 1%. In one instance, he gave up a home run on an 0-2 count to then-Mariner Rowdy Tellez on a pitch above the strike zone, something that was rare in his career before 2023. That moment even became a talking point later in the season when deGrom and Tellez became teammates.
DeGrom’s Drive to Improve and Pitch More Innings
DeGrom’s mindset heading into the new season remains intensely focused on improvement.
“I always try to look at what I could do better,”
he said.
“I think that’s just kind of how I operate. It’s always trying to figure out a way to get better and improve. Obviously, I was proud of making the 30 starts and being able to do that, but my mind just works very much like ‘Oh, I wish I could have that start back or done this.’ It’s just me.”
After undergoing his second Tommy John surgery and managing pitch counts carefully during 2023, deGrom aims to increase his innings total. He has not pitched beyond 100 innings in a season since 2019. While the Rangers may continue to limit his workload early in the season, it is anticipated that they might be more flexible than last year. His target remains around 200 innings, though that goal is more challenging amid current MLB trends. An additional 10 to 12 innings during the regular season appear achievable, and postseason appearances could push him closer to 200 total innings if the Rangers advance as expected.
Prospects for Excellence and Longevity in the Coming Years
DeGrom’s 2023 comeback is promising, but the thought among Rangers fans and analysts is what could happen if he stays healthy and reduces his homer rate. Could he contend for a third Cy Young Award at 38 years old? Historically, six pitchers older than deGrom have won the award, making it a possibility, although competition like Tarik Skubal in the American League may pose a strong challenge.
Even if winning a Cy Young seems ambitious, deGrom’s typical response would be to accept it humbly, then return to focusing on improvements rather than dwelling on past injuries. Over recent years, injury recovery dominated his thoughts, but last season allowed him to concentrate solely on refining his game.
With the 2024 season ahead, fans and teammates watch closely to see how deGrom builds on his comeback, aiming to elevate his pitching and maintain the durability that made last year such a success.
