Jacob deGrom deserves more credit for gutsy way he's keeping Rangers' playoff hopes alive

Nobody knows how many more 100 mph heaters are left in the golden arm of two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom. He could be like Texas Rangers legend Nolan Ryan and still bring the cheese well into his 40s, but after two major arm surgeries in the last five years, it is more likely that he'll be like almost every other mortal ace and experience a slow decline as he closes in on age 40.

It makes what the 38-year-old hurler is doing now even more special, as he is clearly gutting it out in an effort to help the Rangers secure a postseason spot. You can tell that he isn't 100% right now, but his stuff is so good that he can still be an effective pitcher.

Jacob deGrom has shown he is a warrior, pitching through pain to give the Rangers a shot at a playoff spot

deGrom isn't having his best year by his lofty standards. He has been solid, but his 3.79 ERA is a full run higher than his sparkling career mark of 2.68. His WHIP is also a tick higher at 1.07 compared to the minuscule 0.99 career number. Still, he is going out there and pitching through some nagging injuries and leading this staff and team by example by going out and gutting his way into the 5th and 6th innings as the Rangers need him down the stretch run.

You can visibly tell that he is still feeling discomfort in his left hip that was dinged up around the All-Star break. He is also dealing with lingering groin soreness that may be related to compensating for the hip problem.

In fact, Skip Schumaker said that deGrom "felt it" with regard to the sore groin during the second inning, but that didn't stop him from rebounding and mostly dominating Boston save for the Nick Sogard homer.

Nevertheless, he went out Tuesday and took care of the Red Sox, earning his 11th win of the season. The Boston order is loaded and one of the most dangerous offenses in the league. He held noted Ranger-killer Wilyer Abreu hitless in two at-bats, including a strikeout.

Whatever is bothering him physically, it hasn't affected his velocity or ability to put away hitters with both the four-seamer and that filthy slider. He has 35 Ks over his last 4 starts and has an elite strikeout-per-nine-innings rate of 11.3.

With Nathan Eovaldi hampered by injuries over the last month, combined with the inconsistency of MacKenzie Gore and Kumar Rocker, having your borderline Hall of Famer step up through nagging injuries should let the younger players know that he is in it to win it. That is what leadership by example looks like. His teammates have taken note.

"We heard it from when [deGrom] was with the Mets, and there's zero question: He competes like nobody else. He's been showing it this whole year, and tonight was a perfect example of when the situation gets hairier for him, he finds a way to dig deep," Jacob Latz, a hero in his own right, said after Tuesday night's victory.

If the Rangers can sneak into the playoffs over the last week and a half, deGrom will be a big reason why. If they don't, then it won't be on the big right-hander, because he is earning his money late in the 2026 season.

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