Back in March, I predicted that Jacob deGrom would be the Comeback Player of the Year.
Do I have psychic powers? Nope — not even close. But something about this season just felt like the perfect time for deGrom to climb back to the top of the mountain.
Jacob deGrom made his MLB debut on May 15, 2014. That year, he won the NL Rookie of the Year, and the following season he was already an All-Star pitcher. It didn’t take long for him to establish himself as one of the game’s best, winning back-to-back Cy Young Awards in 2018 and 2019.
But arm injuries would derail his momentum. After leaving the New York Mets for the Texas Rangers, he missed most of the 2023 season and underwent the second Tommy John surgery of his career, the first coming before the Mets drafted him in 2010. Between 2023 and 2024, deGrom appeared in only nine games for Texas, but even in limited action he flashed the greatness that once made him the most dominant pitcher on the planet.
Then came 2025, as deGrom opened the season on March 30th with a sharp performance: five shutout innings, two hits, two walks, and six strikeouts. Early April brought some command struggles, resulting in a 3.21 ERA over five starts, but he closed the month strong with six shutout innings, four hits, no walks, and seven strikeouts. In May, he lowered his ERA to 2.08, winning three of five starts and delivering a double-digit strikeout game by fanning 10 Tigers.
June was the turning point for deGrom as he looked every bit like the Cy Young version of himself, going 4–0 with a 1.41 ERA in five starts. He tossed seven shutout innings against the Nationals, allowing two hits, no walks, eight strikeouts, and followed that with another seven-inning shutout gem, allowing just one hit with seven strikeouts. It was vintage deGrom, the version fans had been waiting years to see.
More hardware for the shelf 🏆
Jacob deGrom has been named AL Comeback Player of the Year! pic.twitter.com/QkWjc0N38f
— Rangers Sports Network (@RangersSNtv) November 14, 2025
His dominant first half earned him an All-Star selection, though he didn’t start in order to protect his health.
After the break, deGrom took a slight step back, posting a 4.13 ERA in July with two wins in five starts. Down the stretch, he won only two of his final nine starts, but still delivered flashes of brilliance: five shutout innings of two-hit ball against the Blue Jays on August 15, another five shutout innings with two hits against the A’s on August 31, and a five-inning, one-hit outing against the Twins on September 24 to finish his season on a high note.
The Rangers ultimately missed the postseason, finishing 81–81 for the second straight year since winning the World Series in 2023.
At 37 years old, Jacob deGrom ended the 2025 season with a 12–8 record, a 2.97 ERA, 172.2 innings pitched, and 185 strikeouts.
Not bad for a pitcher many assumed was nearing the end — only for him to revive his career and earn the 2025 American League Comeback Player of the Year.
