The Texas Rangers didn’t just sign Jacob deGrom before the 2023 season—they bet their future on his right arm. And now, after a couple of years, it’s finally paying off.
After years of frustrating injuries and false starts, deGrom is finally delivering what Texas imagined when it gave him $185 million.
The 2025 season has seen deGrom reclaim his MLB ace status, making 19 starts and logging 112.1 innings before the All-Star break.
Vintage deGrom: Still One of Baseball’s Best Arms
His 2.32 ERA is a throwback to his Mets prime—those vintage Cy Young campaigns in 2018 and 2019 weren’t a fluke.
He’s struck out 113 hitters while issuing just 24 walks, mixing elite command with overpowering velocity and biting movement.
When healthy, deGrom remains arguably the most dominant pitcher alive. The Rangers are seeing that reality unfold every fifth day.
The Team Around Him Hasn’t Kept Up
And yet, the team surrounding him doesn’t quite reflect his excellence. Texas enters the second half at 48-49, stuck in the middle.
The defending champs sit 8.5 games behind the Astros in the AL West, their offense sputtering at inopportune times all year.
Still, the Rangers are just 3.5 games out of a Wild Card spot, which keeps their playoff hopes very much alive in a crowded field.
Could the Rangers Actually Trade deGrom?
With the deadline nearing, they’re facing a decision: buy reinforcements, stand pat—or make a shocking splash by selling high.
Naturally, the biggest hypothetical involves deGrom. Could the Rangers actually move him now that he’s healthy and elite again?
It sounds like the answer is a resounding no—at least according to league sources who’ve probed the situation recently.
“I asked two general managers in the last couple of days (whether deGrom would be available), and they both said ‘no,'” reported MLB insider Buster Olney, per Baseball Rumors, during a TSN appearance.
Trading deGrom Would Undercut Everything
Trading deGrom right now would bring back massive value, but it would also send a jarring message to the clubhouse and fanbase.
After all, this is a 37-year-old star with two years and a club option left, still owed $95 million. Moving him clears the books.
But the Rangers didn’t make that five-year commitment in 2023 with the intention of flipping him the moment things clicked.
They signed deGrom to lead a World Series run, not to be a short-term asset. Now that he’s finally upright, that plan is in motion.
Texas Must Add, Not Subtract, at the Deadline
Despite their record, Texas knows how quickly a season can turn—especially with a Hall of Fame-caliber arm anchoring the rotation.
Alongside Nathan Eovaldi, deGrom gives the Rangers a devastating one-two punch that no opponent wants to see in October.
Trying to trade him now, even at peak value, would feel like throwing in the towel with half the season still on the table.
This is their ace, their gamble, their centerpiece—and he’s finally delivering in full. Walking away now would be self-defeating.
The Rangers Still Have Time—and Hope
It would be like finally seeing your lottery numbers hit, only to sell the ticket before cashing in. The timing just feels wrong.
If anything, the Rangers should be adding pieces around deGrom, not subtracting. The pitching is in place. It’s the bats that lag.
Texas still has a narrow window to contend this year. But with deGrom looking like his old self, that window could stay open longer.
Whether they make the playoffs in 2025 or not, the Rangers are committed to the ace they built around. And rightly so.
Jacob deGrom is healthy, dominant, and the kind of pitcher who changes everything. Texas can’t afford to let that go—not yet.
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