Jacob deGrom’s return to the Texas Rangers comes with a calculated risk. But the reigning World Series champions are willing to take that. Manager Bruce Bochy has confirmed that the two-time Cy Young winner will start the 2025 season at the back end of the rotation, which means proper rest as he recovers from Tommy John surgery.

Paying a pitcher $185 million usually means expecting him to take the ball every five days. But with Jacob deGrom, the Rangers are taking a different route. After shelling out $70 million over two seasons for just nine starts, Texas knows they need to handle him carefully to maximize their investment.

Rather than throwing him straight into a full workload, the Rangers are easing on deGrom between his first five starts. Thanks to some convenient off days in April, they could keep a five-man rotation while still giving him the break he needs. Bochy made it clear—keeping deGrom healthy for the long haul is the priority, even if that means slow-playing him now.

“He’s missed a lot of time,” Bochy said in an interview with Foul Territory. “We need to keep him fresh, and if we have to skip a start or put him on the IL for a little bit, we’ll do it. The goal is to have him strong at the end of the season, not just the beginning.”

Seemingly, the Rangers aren’t thinking about the season’s first few months! They’ve got their eyes on October. Because a healthy Jacob deGrom could be the difference between another deep playoff run and an early exit. This approach might keep him at full strength when it matters most.

For deGrom, this could be a career-saving move because his elite stuff is still there. And as per reports, he’s feeling good and commanding all four pitches—but staying healthy has always been his challenge. So, by pacing him slow, the Rangers are hoping to get a full season of dominance, rather than just a handful of brilliant starts before another injury setback.

Texas seems to be making a bold but smart call. And if it works, deGrom could finally deliver the ace-level performance they envisioned.

What If the Rangers plan doesn’t work?

If the Rangers‘ strategy to handle Jacob deGrom’s workload falls short of expectations, it could put them in a difficult situation. Even though they are being cautious, deGrom’s health is still uncertain. If he encounters obstacles or gets sidelined due to injury for a period, Texas may face challenges. They will have to promptly replace his spot.

Although they have options like Nathan Eovaldi and Jon Gray, deGrom’s absence would certainly impact their pitching lineup. The Rangers management might be compelled to seek pitching support through the season potentially having to pay more than usual during trade negotiations to compensate for deGrom’s unavailability.

Another risk is that the slow-play strategy could backfire if the Rangers fall behind in the AL West standings. Banking on deGrom to contribute more later in the season assumes Texas will be in a strong position by then. But baseball is unpredictable. If the team faces challenges at the beginning and deGrom doesn’t pitch as often as before, they might regret not utilizing him proactively when they had the chance.

In a league with teams like the Astros, Mariners, and an improving Angels squad, each victory matters. Falling behind early could add extra stress on deGrom to perform better later, potentially raising the chances of him getting injured again.

While Rangers’ strategy could pay off in October, it also comes with the risk of missing out on crucial wins early in the year. If deGrom’s injury woes persist, will Texas regret not maximizing his starts when they had the chance?