Jacob deGrom has always been known for his elite arm and dominant presence on the mound, but his journey back to baseball’s biggest stage has now become one of the most inspiring comeback stories in the modern game. After undergoing his second Tommy John surgery in June 2023, many around the league quietly wondered if the Texas Rangers ace would ever return to form—or return at all. Two years later, not only is deGrom back, he’s back at the very top: a 2025 American League All-Star, and the driving force behind one of the most dominant rotations in baseball.
“It’s been a grind,” deGrom admitted. “Coming back from one Tommy John is hard enough, but two? You start to question if you’ll ever be the same. To be here, healthy, and an All-Star again—it means the world.”
DeGrom, now a five-time All-Star, last earned the honor in 2021. But this 2025 nod is perhaps his most meaningful yet. Since returning fully healthy for the first time since 2019, the 36-year-old has been electric. Through mid-July, deGrom boasts a 2.32 ERA, which ranks fourth in all of Major League Baseball, and his 0.91 WHIP is among the elite, tied for third. Opponents are hitting just .194 against him.
“He’s a unicorn,” said Rangers pitching coach Mike Maddux. “He prepares like no one I’ve ever seen. His command, his power, his mindset—he’s a complete pitcher. And doing this after two Tommy Johns? It’s unheard of.”
Catchers and coaches alike have marveled at deGrom’s ability to not just survive but thrive after injury. Kyle Higashioka, who has caught many of deGrom’s starts this year, called him “absolutely incredible,” noting that his fastball continues to sit near 100 mph with precision rarely seen even at the professional level.
“His command is in the elite tier,” Higashioka said. “You pair that with triple-digit velocity, and you get one of the best in the game. And honestly, it’s not just physical—it’s mental toughness. Not everyone makes it back from this once, let alone twice.”
DeGrom’s return wasn’t rushed. After his surgery in 2023, he began ramping up slowly and made three late-season starts in September 2024, allowing just two runs in 10 1/3 innings. It wasn’t vintage deGrom just yet, but it was a taste—and an important mental and physical milestone.
“Being able to come back last year and throw a few innings, then have a normal offseason and spring training—that changed everything,” deGrom said. “I didn’t feel like I was in rehab mode anymore. I felt like a pitcher preparing for a season.”
That confidence translated to history. Earlier this season, deGrom rattled off a franchise-record 14 consecutive starts of five or more innings and two or fewer runs allowed—the longest such streak in Texas Rangers history, and the best in the American League since Felix Hernández in 2014.
But none of this would be possible without the man whose name became synonymous with the surgery that saved deGrom’s career. Tommy John, a former MLB pitcher himself, underwent the first successful UCL reconstruction in 1974, giving birth to a procedure that would save thousands of pitching careers. Jacob deGrom now stands as the modern symbol of just how far that procedure has come—and how resilient a pitcher can be.
Though he missed nearly all of his first two years with the Rangers, having made just nine starts before 2025, deGrom is now finally delivering on the massive expectations that followed his signing. And with him healthy and dominating, Texas has its sights set on another deep postseason run.
“I know I can’t take this for granted,” deGrom said. “Every pitch, every game—it’s a blessing. And I’m not done yet.”
From surgical tables to the All-Star Game, Jacob deGrom’s comeback story is nothing short of extraordinary.
