Jacob deGrom completed a bullpen for the Texas Rangers, Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com reports.
Jacob deGrom threw a little over 20 fastballs off a mound at relatively low intensity and said he felt good. He threw a lot before reporting to camp and thinks he has enough time to build up for the start of the season.
— Alden González (@Alden_Gonzalez) February 23, 2023
?It was a small step, but a step in the right direction.? pic.twitter.com/U28a9PabrW
The bullpen consisted of about 20 fastballs but not at full velocity. Still, this is a good first step for deGrom, and he came through without any problems.
The Cactus League schedule started Friday, but the Rangers have not stated when deGrom would make his first appearance, just that it’s unlikely to be until the second week of March at the earliest.
The Rangers will likely play it safe with deGrom. They signed him to a five-year, $185 million contract this offseason, knowing that deGrom hasn’t made more than 15 starts in a season since 2019 and only a combined 38 starts over the past three seasons.
Even with deGrom, not much is expected from the Rangers this season. They are +1000 to win the American League West, which is behind every team, except for the Oakland Athletics, who are at +25000. You can find these odds and the odds for every team to win their division on the FanDuel Sportsbook.
