With the start of the playoffs less than 40 games away and the Texas Rangers — losers of eight of their last 10 games — slipping six games behind the final American League Wild Card spot, the Rangers are clearly playing the long game.
A conventional short-term outlook would suggest that two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom, who’s posted a 2.76 ERA in his return from a second Tommy John surgery, should start. However, deGrom experienced shoulder soreness and will be scratched from his scheduled start tomorrow against the Kansas City Royals, per Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News.
Although there are no major concerns and deGrom is expected to make his next scheduled start, load management is a consideration for the 37-year-old, especially given his lengthy injury history. The 140.1 innings that he has thrown this season mark by far his biggest workload since 2019, when he won his second consecutive NL Cy Young Award as a member of the New York Mets.
Texas hasn’t yet announced its starter for tomorrow’s game, which will start at 7:40 p.m. ET at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City. The Royals will counter with Noah Cameron, who’s enjoyed a spectacular rookie season, posting a 2.47 ERA in 98.1 innings.
Kansas City is 64-61 and has won four straight games entering Tuesday’s contest. They have +320 odds of making the playoffs at DraftKings Sportsbook, while the Rangers have +650 odds.
