Former Mets Ace Jacob deGrom to Have Second Tommy John Surgery
Former New York Mets starting pitcher Jacob deGrom will once again go under the knife for Tommy John Surgery.
The bad news hit the two-time Cy Young Award winner on Tuesday when an MRI revealed that the elbow inflammation that put deGrom on the Texas Rangers 60-day Injury List will now keep him out for a better part of the next two years.
“This stinks. It’s not ideal,” an emotional deGrom told reporters. “But at least we know what it is now. I want to get it fixed and will set a goal to be back before the end of next year.”
deGrom won two Cy Young Awards with the Mets in 2018 and 2019. He was pound-for-pound the best pitcher in baseball during that span, even on Mets teams that weren’t very good.
Buck Showalter reacts to the Jacob deGrom news:
— SNY (@SNYtv) June 6, 2023
"If I know Jake, he'll get the surgery and come back and finish his career strong." pic.twitter.com/7zoK1k7Emw
He was on his way to a third Cy Young Award in 2021 after posting a record of 7-2 and an ERA of 1.08. But one July evening he left a game against the San Diego Padres because of inflammation in his right elbow and has never been the same since.
Mets Team President Sandy Alderson at the time told reporters it was a partial tear of the UCL, and, with time, would heal naturally. Instead deGrom missed the rest of the 2021 season, and most of the 2022 season before returning in August.
Man, Jacob deGrom needing to have Tommy John surgery sucks for baseball.
— Tyler Milliken ⚾️ (@tylermilliken_) June 6, 2023
One of the greatest talents we’ve ever seen on the mound and his body just hasn’t cooperated.
Hopefully this puts an end to that.pic.twitter.com/rRIxy1xJ69
By last off-season, the Mets offered deGrom a shorter term deal of three-years. He opted instead to take a long term, five-year, $185 million deal in Texas.
That deal looks like a poison pill for the Rangers. Reports are they didn’t insure the contract, and that there is a 2028 Tommy John Surgery clause that would pay deGrom between $20 and $37 million.
Think the Rangers are likely kicking themselves? Think the Mets are taking a slight sigh of relief?
Probably ‘yes’ to both.
There was nothing like watching Jacob deGrom every 5th day.
— Jimmy Sullivan (@JimmySullivanBC) June 6, 2023
48 forever. pic.twitter.com/pE8nJDLnF9
It’s a sad story. When healthy Jacob deGrom was the best pitcher in the game. He would top over 100 mph, and no matter how many times he threw his fastball, or slider, hitters couldn’t catch it. From 2018 through 2021 he was virtually unhittable.
Baseball is a cruel game.