“Euphoria,” as the arrival of deGrom raises the Rangers’ expectations

Jacob Degrom Euphoria

SAN DIEGO — The week after Thanksgiving, Rangers manager Bruce Bochy began to experience some symptoms of being under the weather. By the following Thursday, General Manager Chris Young had figured out just what would improve his mood.

I went and grabbed some medication for you. Young said that he informed Bochy over the phone, “I bought you a pitcher,” after he had given Bochy the gift. “When he inquired who, I told him it was Jacob deGrom. He exclaimed, and I’ll never forget this, “Holy smokes!” I believe it took me a minute to absorb what he had just said.

When asked about it afterward, Bochy described the moment as “euphoric.” “I was overjoyed and ecstatic that we were able to bring him here. I don’t know how I could have felt any better.” And I’m grateful — first of all, to Jacob for coming to Texas, but also for CY and ownership to step up the way they did to obtain a player who was very much a need for us, a guy that’s going to lead up this rotation. You’re referring to one of the greatest pitchers in the history of the game. We relied heavily on him to take the initiative and steer the ship in the right direction. When a player of this caliber joins our team, it immediately raises the bar for everyone else here. I really couldn’t have asked for anything more.

The Rangers made the formal announcement that they had reached an agreement with the two-time winner of the National League Cy Young Award the next day. The contract is for five years and $185 million. Both Young and Bochy stressed the significance of having a pitcher on the staff with the qualities that deGrom has, not just for his on-field performances but also for the leadership and preparation that he provides to the clubhouse.

“I heard this from a number of players, tales of people asking, ‘Do you know what it means to play behind someone like him?'” “I heard this from a number of players.” Young provided an explanation. “When you drive to the park on that particular day, you are certain that you have an ace on the mound and that you are going to win the game that evening. This alters the way that one thinks. It raises the status of each individual.”

How deGrom Reacted When He Saw the Rangers

But how was it possible for the Rangers, a team with a staff ERA of 4.22 in 2022 and a string of six consecutive losing seasons, to sign one of the most talented pitchers of this generation?

The Rangers showed interest in the player as early as possible. The font management and ownership of the Rangers have been transparent about the organization’s goal to strengthen the beginning pitching at all levels. Since the beginning of free agency, Texas has been in communication with every potential alternative, and deGrom has been at the top of its priority list.

The parties participated in a Zoom meeting the week before Thanksgiving, which helped speed up the negotiating process. Even though Young had high expectations heading into the meeting with deGrom, the right-hander greatly surpassed all that Young had believed about him, according to Young.

Rangers were pleased

deGrom seemed to be just as pleased with the Rangers, who were represented on the call by Young, Bochy, and assistant general manager Ross Fenstermaker.

“I think what I got from him is you know how genuinely devoted he was to play on a winner. I think he loved the notion that we were in the midst of developing a winning culture in Texas,” Bochy said. “I think what I got from him was you know how truly committed he was to playing on a winner.” “He’s a pretty modest individual who simply wants to throw, that’s all. “And a man who also wants to be a good teammate, who was pleased to listen to what we had to give him,”

The new manager of the Rangers, Bruce Bochy, first came into contact with deGrom at the 2015 All-Star Game in Cincinnati. During that game, deGrom struck out the side on 10 pitches as Bochy oversaw the game from the bench. Even while he believed the Zoom meeting with deGrom and his staff went quite well, he was caught off guard by how quickly the contract process moved forward.

When we got the opportunity to speak with him, it simply gives you a greater picture of who the guy is, said Bochy. “I’ve always respected him,” Bochy added. “I had a positive outlook on it. You should be aware that several different clubs are going to chat to the guy. Therefore, you are still in the dark about his current state of mind and where you stand in relation to it. On the other hand, he decided very hastily. He had just gotten everyone extremely enthusiastic. You are still affected by the leftover effects of signing anyone of this kind. Simply said, it helps the other players out quite a bit. To the effect that “Hey, we mean business right now,” We’re working hard to get back into contention and to deliver championship baseball to the state of Texas.

The fact that the Rangers have signed deGrom does not mean that they will no longer be able to compete at the top levels of the free-agent market, as Young continues to stress. His viewpoint is that it makes it more probable for them to continue acting in this manner.

According to Young, “I believe that Jacob lends credibility to our company and makes us a desired destination.” “We’re open-minded. We are exploring all of our options in order to continue to improve our club and strike a balance between the objectives we have set for 2023 and the goals we have set for the longer term. When it comes to potential methods to improve the club, we are not excluding any options.

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