The latest Jacob deGrom update suggests he is nearing an injury return, something the Texas Rangers will consider before the trade deadline.
Jacob deGrom Injury Update
deGrom has missed the entire 2024 season so far as he recovers from 2023 Tommy John surgery. The Rangers right-hander is getting fairly close to returning to the rotation. Rangers manager Bruce Bochy recently revealed that deGrom will join the team for their upcoming series against the St. Louis Cardinals on the road, per Shawn McFarland of The Dallas Morning News. deGrom will reportedly throw two more bullpens before facing hitters.
Jacob deGrom will be with the Rangers in St. Louis. The plan is for him to throw two more bullpens before he faces hitters, according to Bruce Bochy.
— Shawn McFarland (@McFarland_Shawn) July 27, 2024
The Rangers are considering their options ahead of the MLB trade deadline. Texas understands that deGrom’s return from injury will feel like a mid-season acquisition on its own. The Rangers are open to adding offense, but will Texas be aggressive in the pitching market?
Rangers’ Starting Pitching Trade Plans
The Rangers have mostly been linked to position players. It is important to remember that deGrom and Tyler Mahle are both hoping to return from injuries. They will join a rotation that already includes Nathan Eovaldi, Jon Gray, Andrew Heaney, Michael Lorenzen, and Max Scherzer. Scherzer was mentioned as a potential trade candidate before the Rangers moved toward buying ahead of the deadline.
With the latest Jacob deGrom update, one has to wonder if Texas will feel the need to add any starting pitching. Sure, a pitcher like Jack Flaherty could make sense. However, the Rangers will have to ask themselves if he represents enough of an upgrade to warrant surrendering valuable prospect capital.
It is also worth noting that Texas is just 51-54 as of this story’s writing. The Rangers are only 4.5 games out of the American League West. They are still certainly alive in the AL Wild Card race as well. Texas’s inconsistent performance may cause the team to hesitate before making any notable acquisitions.
There is much uncertainty around the ball club as the trade deadline nears. However, the one element that cannot be denied is that the Rangers will be among the most interesting teams to follow ahead of the deadline.
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