Jacob deGrom’s offseason assignment sounds refreshingly uncomplicated: rest. Chris Young said Monday that the pitcher needs recovery after a season that included hip, groin and triceps issues. The baseball evaluation is more complicated than the prescription.
DeGrom made 31 starts and delivered 162.2 innings for Texas in 2026. That is a meaningful supply of work from a pitcher who is 38. It should count in his favor when the Rangers review the rotation. It also leaves room to ask why such a strong strikeout total did not produce better overall run prevention.
It also cannot be the entire evaluation.
He finished with 201 strikeouts, 46 walks and a 1.14 WHIP. Those figures show that he could still miss bats while limiting the combined traffic from hits and walks. His ERA nevertheless reached 4.20, with 76 earned runs allowed. That contrast deserves a place alongside the discussion of his availability.
DeGrom allowed 20 home runs. The runs count even when they sit beside an attractive strikeout rate, and Texas should judge the complete result. More starts from a talented pitcher help a staff, but they do not remove the need to examine what happens within those outings. The workload can be valuable while the run prevention still leaves the club wanting more.
Young’s comments came during Texas’ Monday end-of-season session at Globe Life Field. He said deGrom needs rest and recovery, with no new surgery announced for the pitcher. That is a sensible starting point, especially after the physical issues he managed during the year.
It is not a diagnosis of why every run scored against him, and it is not a promise that a quieter offseason will automatically restore a lower ERA.
I would keep those two judgments separate. Credit the availability and the ability to miss bats; scrutinize the runs that remained despite those strengths. Rest may be what Young says deGrom needs, but it is not a statistical explanation for the season. Texas can respect the medical assessment while maintaining a demanding baseball standard.
His innings also have to be viewed alongside the demands placed on the rest of the rotation. Jack Leiter made 15 starts and logged 80 innings with a 5.29 ERA. Nathan Eovaldi supplied 145.2 innings and a 4.20 ERA across 23 starts and four relief appearances.
DeGrom’s 162.2 innings were therefore substantial, but they did not settle the staff. Texas still had to account for a younger starter who was not a full-season option and for a veteran whose results were serviceable rather than dominant.
