Rangers place Jacob deGrom on 60-day IL, make room for Spencer Howard
ARLINGTON - The wait for Jacob deGrom goes on.
The Rangers moved their ace to the 60-day IL on Monday to make room for returning Spencer Howard on the 40-man roster. Howard, who had been on the 60 day IL with a lat issue, replaces reliever Jonathan Hernández on the active roster. Hernández, who has struggled for nearly two months, was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock.
DeGrom had already been on the 15-day IL since April 29 with right elbow inflammation. The move means the first day he will be eligible to return is June 28. GM Chris Young couldn’t say that deGrom had a setback in his recovery from the injury, but nor could he say eliminate that. The Rangers will do a second MRI on his elbow on Tuesday to get a better idea.
DeGrom had thrown a total of five bullpens since going on the IL, the most recent being Wednesday in Detroit. He then left the team for the weekend to attend the birth of his third child.
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“I believe he’s the best pitcher in the world when he’s healthy,” Young said. “When he’s on the mound, it’s just captivating. But we want to proceed cautiously and do what’s right by him. That’s the biggest factor in this move. We want to make sure the inflammation is gone. The [symptoms] have come and gone. He’s had good days and bad. It’s not been linear.”
The Rangers signed deGrom for $185 million to be paid out over five years knowing his injury history. His bio is littered with IL stints over the last five years, including elbow-related issues in 2018 (a hyperextension) and 2019 (soreness). He was back within two weeks of each and neither of those precluded him from making 30-plus starts or winning the Cy Young Award in either season.
This is where the Rangers’ rotation playing well really helps out. Nathan Eovaldi, also acquired by the Rangers in the offseason, is having a career stretch. His response to deGrom’s early exit in April was to throw a complete game the next day against the Yankees. Turns out that was a microcosm of the situation.
Texas has been dominant in deGrom’s absence, pushing to a 38-20 record after sweeping the Seattle Mariners with historic offensive numbers and a tight defense.
“Jacob will pitch for us, I’m confident of that,” Young said. “I just don’t know the timing. I know the player, the work ethic and the desire. I believe the player knows his body best and knows what his cues are. When there are good days, we take the next step forward.
“I feel it is the responsibility of the organization to play it cautiously and get it right. I don’t know if there is anything wrong, but I’d hate to push it and make it worse by doing something irresponsible.”
Rangers will put Jacob deGrom on 60 day IL to make room for Spencer Howard. First day eligible would be June 28. More to come — Evan Grant (@Evan_P_Grant) June 5, 2023
On Twitter: @Evan_P_Grant
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Source: The Dallas Morning News
