Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy spoke publicly for the first time Monday about signing former New York Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom during the Winter Meetings in San Diego.
ESPN wrote a piece about the courtship between the Rangers and deGrom on Sunday and took special note of Bochy’s reaction when general manager Chris Young called to let him know the deal was done.
That reaction was “Are you kidding me?” according to the report.
Bochy’s reaction on Monday was much more definitive about what it means to the Rangers in 2023 and beyond.
“We mean business right now,” Bochy said.
deGrom signed a $185 million over five years, with a sixth-year option last week. He comes with some risk.
deGrom has made 15 starts or fewer in each of the three seasons — 12 in the COVID-shortened 2020 season, 15 in 2021 and 11 in 2022. He was still an All-Star in 2021. Elbow inflammation ended his 2021 shortly after the All-Star Break, while a stress…
