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Knock on wood: Rangers returning from spring training with Jacob deGrom, rotation intact

DeGrom closed out Rangers camp with his second start of the spring Saturday, striking out six and touching 100 mph.

SURPRISE, Ariz. — Good thing the Super Bowl was in Arizona last month. There had to be a few of those puffy white marshmallow suits Rhianna’s dancers wore during the halftime show still lying around. They could have come in handy as the Rangers’ departed the desert Saturday.

Whatever it takes to protect the starting rotation.

They can’t take any chances. Not with what they’ve got. It might be that good. The last time Jacob deGrom flew, which was when he arrived for spring training, he disembarked with just a skosh of tightness in his side. The Rangers locked down the area, put him on ice and sighed with relief when it only meant missing the first three weeks of exhibitions.

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Time flies. DeGrom made his second start of spring training on Saturday, just as camp was closing for good. And it was just as good as the first one: Flashing 100 mph heat and 92 mph sliders, he struck out six in 3.2 scoreless innings. He threw 54 pitches, meaning he should be good for about 65 or 70 pitches. DeGrom said maybe 75.

Asked about deGrom’s day, Bruce Bochy’s first instinct was to turn his palms upward and kind of shrug his shoulders. Like, what else is there to say?

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“He’s really good and fun to watch,” Bochy said. “That stuff and that pitchability — what can you say? — it’s just a lot of fun to watch.”

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For the spring, deGrom and No. 2 starter Nathan Eovaldi combined for 17 scoreless innings and 23 strikeouts. The Rangers went to spring with their five-man rotation set for the first time in a decade. More importantly, they emerged in the same state.

And even more significant: As a whole, the rotation compiled a 2.03 ERA, a 4-to-1 strikeout-to-walk rate and a 1.13 WHIP. You see some strange things in the desert, but this was an all-timer. The Rangers: Where pitching apparently thrives.

RELATED: It’s simple: When the Rangers have pitching, they win. And they have it in 2023

“Watching these guys throw has been impressive,” deGrom said. “I’m so looking forward to getting started with them. We came in with high expectations. Now let’s take what we worked on and go out there and compete.”

And you Bruce Bochy, how do you feel about your rotation both emerging from spring intact and, at least apparently, in sync?

“We slow-played some guys, but it’s been a good spring to build on. They’ve done a great job of executing. We’re happy.”

The spring was a breath of fresh — albeit distinctly cooler — air. No lockout and no pandemic restrictions took care of that. But for the Rangers, it got better.

Injury-plagued rookie third baseman Josh Jung left Arizona in one piece, even if his truck, T-boned on a surface street, didn’t. Corey Seager, freed from shift prison, had a 15-game hitting spring streak, the longest by a Ranger in the 17 years that’s been tracked. He also reminded he’s not here to hit singles, leading the Rangers with four spring homers. Prospects prospered. It was a different scene.

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Nothing, however, tops the rotation. The starters were the centerpiece of GM Chris Young’s offseason work. The GM took chances on guys who have high-talent ceilings, but also come with increased injury risk.

When deGrom arrived and ended up on the injury report before the first workout, the Rangers said they were simply being cautious, but given this team’s history, who could blame anybody for fearing the worst?

Instead, on getaway day, deGrom fired off a few more zeroes. And spoke like an ace.

“Anytime I go out and take the mound, I want to put up zeroes,” deGrom said. “I do not like giving up hits. And I think that’s for everybody. You are working on getting better and locating, but the main thing about pitching is to try to prevent them from scoring runs, so whether it’s spring training results or whatever, you go out there with intent.”

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Yeah, you can see some strange things in the desert. This appears to be no mirage. The Rangers rotation might truly be special. And it took the first step by leaving spring training whole. And with a whole bunch of zeroes.

On Twitter: @Evan_P_Grant

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