In baseball, the term “ace” carries a weight of expectation – dominance, reliability, and the ability to carry a team. When the Texas Rangers signed Jacob deGrom to a $185 million contract, one of the richest in baseball history, they saw him as an ace, the centerpiece of their pitching staff. However, the journey from potential to performance is seldom linear — especially when injuries are added to the equation. As the 2025 season begins, a cloud of uncertainty hangs over deGrom.

Spring training for 2025 was a notable turning point for Jacob deGrom: It was his return from a second Tommy John surgery. His initial outing on March 8 was promising — two perfect innings against the Royals, his fastball reaching 98 mph and thrice striking out opponents. He showed the signature stuff that offered a snapshot of the pitcher he can be.

Despite the positive signs, the questions surrounding deGrom’s durability remain. On the Flippin’ Bats with Ben Verlander podcast, Verlander voiced a prevalent concern: “I have pitching concerns with the Rangers. There’s a lot of question marks. The ultimate question mark being Jacob deGrom, right?… There’s just a lot of question marks with how good he’s going to be, but mostly how much he’s going to be pitch.” This blunt assessment highlights the core dilemma. It’s not if deGrom can dominate, but how often.

The Rangers knew they were taking a risk when they signed deGrom. His history with the Mets included a litany of arm and back problems. And that risk materialized almost immediately. In his very first season with Texas, deGrom made just six starts before his elbow gave way, requiring a second Tommy John surgery. This devastating setback sidelined him for the vast majority of 2023 and most of 2024, casting a long shadow over his lucrative contract.

Talent vs. durability: the Jacob deGrom conundrum

Sadly, deGrom’s injury woes extend far beyond his time in Texas. He had his first Tommy John surgery in 2010, soon after he was drafted. His Mets tenure, while brilliant at times, was interrupted by shoulder woes, elbow inflammation, and forearm tightness and included missing substantial time in 2021 and 2022. It is the long history of injuries throughout his career that is the source of the “ultimate question mark” moniker. It’s a pattern that, understandably, gives any team cautious.

More surprisingly, The Texas Rangers are acutely aware of deGrom’s fragility, and their strategy reflects this. Manager Bruce Bochy has been transparent about their plans, stating, “He’ll probably be our fifth starter coming out… By doing that, he’ll get an extra day’s rest for his first five starts.” Bochy even added, “during the season, if we have to skip a start or put him on the IL to miss a couple starts to keep him fresh, we’ll do that.” This cautious approach prioritizes long-term availability over maximizing early-season innings.

Now comes the most interesting part. When Jacob deGrom is healthy, he’s arguably one of the best pitchers in baseball. Statistically, his career WHIP (walks and hits per inning pitched) and era of 2.52 place him among the best of all time. His two Cy Young Awards won with the Mets are evidence of his dominance. He’s a supreme pitcher with the ability to overpower hitters with velocity and baffle them with movement, a true ace in every way you can define that term.

The Texas Rangers have placed a $185 million bet on Jacob deGrom’s talent. It’s a gamble, no doubt, given his injury history. But it’s a gamble with a potentially enormous payoff. Will deGrom’s body hold up? Will the Rangers’ cautious approach pay dividends? Or will the “ultimate question mark” transform into a definitive answer, one that could determine the fate of the Rangers’ season?