Jacob deGrom’s Near-Perfect Masterpiece: How Close Did He Come to History with the Rangers?

BALTIMORE — Watching Jacob deGrom step onto the mound in a Texas Rangers uniform is like witnessing a masterful artist at work, especially when he’s firing on all cylinders. The whispers around the clubhouse? Many believe he’s not just good — they think he might be the very best pitcher on the planet. And last night, he practically confirmed those suspicions. Coming back strong after Tommy John surgery sidelined him since June 2023, deGrom teased a perfect game into the sixth inning and kept that no-hit threat alive through seven. He delivered 89 pitches, limiting damage to a lone hit from Colton Cowser at the top of the eighth before the Rangers sealed a commanding 7-0 victory over Baltimore. All the while, deGrom extended a career-best run with 13 consecutive starts allowing two or fewer earned runs, reminding everyone why he’s a two-time Cy Young Award winner. “Missing this long, you really reflect on your journey,” he shared, “And the goal? To get back to that elite level — every day, still grinding, still refining.” Intrigued by how the Rangers manage his workload, the team’s cautious but confident approach underscores just how valued deGrom is in their rotation. If this is the ‘old’ deGrom, I’m eager to see what the rest of the season has in store.

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BALTIMORE — When Jacob deGrom is at his best, the Texas Rangers believe he’s the best pitcher on the planet.

The two-time Cy Young Award winner certainly is looking like his old self.

DeGrom flirted with a perfect game through six innings and a no-hitter through seven Wednesday night in another dominating performance in his return from Tommy John surgery in June 2023.

He threw 89 pitches, getting pulled after giving up his only hit to Colton Cowser leading off the eighth. The Rangers finished off a 7-0 win over the Baltimore Orioles as deGrom tied his career-best streak of 13 straight starts giving up two or fewer earned runs.

“When you miss that much time, you miss this a lot,” deGrom said. “You got time to really think about what you’ve done in your career. The goal is to try to come back and be as good as I was before the surgery, so constantly trying to work on that and still working on things in between.”

He walked Jackson Holliday starting the seventh. Then he struck out Jordan Westburg and got Gunnar Henderson to fly out. DeGrom walked Ryan O’Hearn, putting two on and causing a mound visit, then got Gary Sánchez to ground into an inning-ending forceout.

Texas removed deGrom after he faced 24 batters. He had thrown 59 of 89 pitches for strikes.

Manager Bruce Bochy said deGrom was throwing well and he planned to give him a chance to finish a no-hit bid. The Rangers have been limiting deGrom to around 80 pitches per game.

“First guy that got a hit that was far enough,” Bochy said. “We had a nice lead, and he’s so fun to watch. He really is. I’ve said this. I’m a fan when he’s pitching.”

Rangers catcher Jonah Heim said deGrom was throwing all four pitches for strikes, and all he had to do was call the pitches.

“That’s the best I’ve ever seen him since he came over here,” Heim said. “So really encouraging to see really proud of him for all the work he’s put in to get here.”

The Rangers certainly are getting the best of deGrom in his third season in Texas since of a $185 millionm five-year deal. He’s off to an 8-2 start and has started 16 games after being limited to three in 2024 and six in 2023.

Yes, deGrom wanted to finish off a no-hitter until a fastball wound up in the wrong spot for the only hit he allowed.

“It was just fun to be out there,” deGrom said.