A Token of Appreciation: Jacob deGrom

With a few weeks left to go until the 2026 Major League Baseball season comes to a close, the Texas Rangers are currently fighting for a Wild Card spot. One player that I'll be highlighting in this story is Jacob deGrom. He recently became part of a club that less than 100 pitchers have accomplished. Earlier this month during a matchup against the Washington Nationals, deGrom recorded his 2,000th career strikeout. He became the second-fastest pitcher to do this, joining Randy Johnson and Chris Sale in this elite club. I recently went to a Rangers game, where they played the Angels. During the game, everyone in attendance congratulated deGrom for his latest achievement. The two-time Cy Young Award winner is under contract with the Rangers for one more season. Sure, he missed the entire 2023 season due to a season-ending injury and didn't earn a ring, but at least he's still relevant in the eyes of baseball fans everywhere. Let's learn a bit more about the 13-year veteran.

Who Is Jacob deGrom?

Jacob Anthony deGrom was born on June 19, 1988, in DeLand, Florida. He was selected by the New York Mets in the ninth round of the 2010 MLB Draft. Four years later, deGrom would make his MLB debut with the Mets against the New York Yankees, where he pitched seven innings, struck out six, and gave up one run. Unfortunately, the Mets lost to the Yankees with a score of 1-0. He would spend the next nine years with the ballclub before signing with the Texas Rangers in 2022. He's currently in his fifth season with the organization. deGrom's accomplishments and achievements include being a five-time All-Star, National League Rookie of the Year in 2014, and a two-time Cy Young Award winner (2018 and 2019). Whether or not the 38-year-old deserves to be in the Baseball Hall of Fame is up for debate, as he's dealt with numerous injuries throughout his career. We might see him and Max Scherzer, who were both previously with the Mets, in Cooperstown one day. deGrom's career milestone might not be a big deal to some of you, but it's worth recognizing.

Jacob deGrom is the third pitcher, active or retired, I've highlighted in my Token of Appreciation series this year, with the last two being Nolan Ryan and Zack Wheeler. There may not be any baseball played in 2027 and whether or not deGrom will return or call it a career is unknown. He's been a great contributor to the Rangers and while he missed out on being part in the World Series in 2023 and winning a ring, there's no doubt that Jacob will be a relevant player for years to come. Whenever I see someone do something amazing, the Token of Appreciation series on Vocal is where you'll find a story about that individual or individuals.

I want to hear everyone's honest opinions about Jacob deGrom. If he were to retire, do you think that he's Hall of Fame worthy, despite his injuries over the years? Why or why not? Also, what your favorite Jacob deGrom moment? Sound off in the comments below. In the meantime, please give this story a like if you enjoyed it. Subscribe to my page and follow me on social media. Finally, to show me some love and support me even further, please leave a generous one-off tip, which is located at the end of this story. No matter how big or small of an amount you give, it encourages creators like me to keep writing new stories. Stay tuned for another update of how the American League West had fared so far.