One of the more peculiar sights in the Texas Rangers’ World Series champion celebration was watching a guy who had not played since late April standing in the alcohol-soaked clubhouse as if he had been there the entire time.

It was not Jacob deGrom’s fault he couldn’t do a thing since his elbow went “pop,” on April 28, 2023. DeGrom had every right to be in that drunk clubhouse in Phoenix on Nov. 1, 2023 with his teammates to celebrate. It was also odd to see a player who was to be a big reason why they won that World Series ultimately have nothing to do with it.

If the Rangers are to not only win their second World Series, or even return to the playoffs after missing out last season, deGrom will have to be something more than an active spectator, and well-paid fan.

DeGrom and the rest of the Rangers’ pitchers and catchers began spring training in Surprise, Ariz., on Feb. 12.

“My arm feels really good,” deGrom said on Jan. 18, during the team’s annual winter fan fest in Arlington, Texas. “I’m looking forward to being able to contribute this year.”

Of all the moves the Rangers have made under GM Chris Young, deGrom’s timeline is the most bizarre. Behind Nolan Ryan and Fergie Jenkins, deGrom is the most talented starting pitcher this franchise has ever had.

If he’s on the mound, the Rangers have a stopper starter. When he pitches, hitters don’t hit.

From the moment he threw his first real pitch with the Rangers, his talent was apparent. The combination of location, spin and speed should already be in Cooperstown, N.Y. Equally apparent, the justified fear the club has about his arm.

“We acknowledge the risk, but we also acknowledge that in order to get great players, there is a risk and a cost associated with that,” Young said the day they signed deGrom. “And one we feel like is worth taking with a player of Jacob’s caliber.”

This has been the risk that thus far has blown up in the wrong direction, without the consequences.

In Dec. of 2022, the club took the risk to sign a talented free agent starting pitcher who had a recent history of injuries to a five-year, $185 million contract in the hope that he lead them to the World Series.

The Rangers won the World Series, only deGrom had suffered a season-ending elbow injury after only 30 1/3 innings pitched with the club. One Tommy John surgery later, and deGrom did not return until Sept. 13 of last season.

In his two-year career with the Rangers, deGrom has made nine starts, and pitched 41 innings. He pitched into the seventh inning once with the team.

In his 41 innings, he has a 2.41 ERA with 59 strikeouts.

By the time he returned last season, the Rangers’ chances of returning to the playoffs for a second consecutive year were dead. The team’s offense was weak, injuries had wrecked a decent portion of their roster, and deGrom’s appearance had no impact on the standings.

But his come back was more about 2025 than 2024.

“That was the goal, to get out there and make a few starts and that way treat it like a normal offseason and not feel like I was in rehab mode,” deGrom said. “Everything feels good.”

This is about all the Rangers can ask for.

Every time this man pitches, there is a combination of expectation and fear like few other players in baseball present. He’s neither fragile, nor is he sturdy.

“At this point, what can you do? Go out there and throw,” he said when asked if he can pitch without worrying about his arm. “Take the ball as many times as I can. Getting out there and making those (three starts in 2024) and then being able to treat this normally was big.

“Being able to play catch, I’m not thinking about, ‘Oh this or that.’ It’s just throw the ball to the target. That’s what I have been focusing on, and things have been feeling good.”

The Rangers’ privately hope he can make 30 starts this season. That would not be a success but more like a miracle. He also hasn’t made 30 starts since 2019; he hasn’t made more than 15 starts since 2021.

If he makes it to 30 starts, it will mean he’s healthy, and when deGrom is healthy, hitters don’t hit.

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