PHOENIX — After undergoing Tommy John surgery in June, Jacob deGrom received the message from Rangers brass that he was still wanted for this season.
It might have been easy for the previous Mets ace and two-time Cy Young award winner to vanish to his home in central Florida, but after receiving a five-year contract value $185 million from the Rangers last offseason, deGrom felt a way of obligation to his recent team.
DeGrom spent the primary two months together with his arm in a brace and limited himself to Rangers home games.
And just to make sure he was faraway from potential harm, he sat within the bullpen — where he didn’t should worry that an excited teammate might attempt to high-five him as a part of a dugout celebration.
Since early September deGrom has been full time with the team, traveling and present within the dugout.
He has enjoyed the ride as a spectator and mentor for a Rangers team that began Game 5 of the World Series on Wednesday inside one victory of the franchise’s first world championship.
“I would like to pitch, nevertheless it’s not about me — it’s about what these guys are doing,” deGrom said. “I used to be talking to [Andrew] Heaney somewhat bit during his outing [Tuesday] and if anybody has got anything for me I’m willing to assist. Just be here and support this group.”
DeGrom, 35, is optimistic he’ll pitch next season.
Though the rehab time is commonly longer for a pitcher who (the right-hander also had the procedure after he was drafted by the Mets in 2010), deGrom said he was told the long separation between the 2 surgeries could mean he’ll follow a standard schedule (general time-frame is 12-14 months) in returning.
“We would find a way to be somewhat more aggressive,” deGrom said, noting that he hopes to start throwing in February.
DeGrom said the recent birth of his son Nolan (he also has an older son, Jaxon, and daughter, Aniston) has fueled his desire to pitch so long as possible so his children may have memories of his pitching profession.
This season he began only six games and went 2-0 with a 2.67 ERA.
As much as deGrom was wowed by the Rangers’ contract offer last winter — the Mets had spoken to him a few three-year deal within the $110 million range — the organization’s commitment to winning stood out.
“You exit and get Corey [Seager] and Marcus [Semien] they usually said the goal was to get pitching,” deGrom said. “They went and got me and continued so as to add, which was huge because we definitely needed pitching. I went down and these guys stepped in huge.”
His former team, the Mets, scuffled all season, leading deGrom to a reunion with Max Scherzer, who was acquired by Texas on the trade deadline.
But deGrom said he didn’t keep tabs on what was happening with the Mets, who fired manager Buck Showalter the ultimate weekend of the season.
“I didn’t even look into that,” deGrom said. “I didn’t know if [Showalter] walked away or got fired.”
DeGrom said he’s enjoyed a pleasing working relationship with manager Bruce Bochy, who was on the point of winning a fourth World Series title.
Bochy guided the Giants to championships in 2010, ’12 and ’14.
“We went through a tricky stretch in late August and early September and ended up righting the ship and [Bochy] stayed the identical throughout that,” deGrom said. “You are feeling his confidence and his trust within the players and the fellows found their way out of that and what they’re doing this postseason, so it’s been fun to be a component of.”
