Jacob deGrom eager to make 1st start in return from 2023 Tommy John surgery

SEATTLE (AP) — Texas Rangers pitcher Jacob deGrom doesn’t expect to get much sleep Thursday night.

The two-time Cy Young Award winner has always had trouble getting to sleep the night before a start throughout his 11-year career. DeGrom anticipates that his nerves will be at an all-time high on Friday when he makes his first MLB start in 503 days against the Seattle Mariners.

“I’ve always had a tough time falling asleep before I pitch, but, you know, hopefully I’ll get some sleep,” DeGrom said. “… It’s been a long time. I’m excited to be back out there, really looking forward to tomorrow.”

DeGrom’s start will be his first since undergoing Tommy John surgery in April 2023. It was deGrom’s second Tommy John surgery, with the first coming as a minor leaguer in 2010.

Rangers GM Chris Young knows first-hand how hard deGrom has had to work to make it back, having gone through grueling rehabs in his own MLB career.

“You watch them go through the surgery, every day of rehab, and the monotony that comes with that,” Young said. “And then to be back out here and realize all the hard work that they put in to be back out there, it’s just, it’s a fun moment. It really is.”

It’s one of several exciting starts for the Rangers this week, with highly touted rookie pitcher Kumar Rocker making his much-anticipated big league debut on Thursday, and three-time Cy Young winner Max Scherzer taking the ball on Saturday in his first start since July 30.

“Once we announced that these three were going, I think there was a buildup (of excitement). There was with us,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “We’re all excited to see them. Not sure, you know, Max is going to be a free agent, but with (deGrom) and (Rocker), it’s a big part of our future. So it’s good to have them healthy and back on the field pitching.”

DeGrom is eager to show he can still do the job after being away from the big leagues for 16 months.

“It feels like it’s been a long time, but making the rehab or going from the live (batting practice) to the rehab starts, you know, we were seeing light at the end of the tunnel,” deGrom said. “Then to finally get here, you know, it’s going to be an exciting day for me.”