Jacob deGrom’s triceps scare eases, giving Rangers a potential start next week vs. Nationals

Jacob deGrom exited his previous start early because of right triceps fatigue, but the Rangers have room for optimism. According to manager Skip Schumaker, deGrom checked out OK after completing a bullpen session, and he has a chance to start again about a week later in the series finale against the Nationals.

The timeline matters because deGrom’s 2026 workload has been managed with care, and the team has treated any indication of fatigue as something to address before it becomes a longer-term issue. Schumaker’s comments suggest the Rangers view the most recent bout as something they can regulate with rest and monitoring rather than a problem that necessarily sidelined him immediately.

For deGrom, the immediate goal is straightforward: regain availability that has allowed him to accumulate starts. The report notes that he has a chance to match last season’s total of 30 starts. It would be the first time since his Cy Young Award seasons with the New York Mets that he reached that number, with those years featuring 32 starts in each season.

That broader context helps explain why a “could start” scenario carries weight beyond one individual outing. DeGrom’s presence is a stabilizing factor in a rotation that relies on top-end pitching to control innings and late-game leverage. When he is close to full strength, Texas can plan around his role rather than reshuffling starters on short notice.

The previous start, by contrast, did not resemble a typical deGrom outing. The Rangers’ right-hander lasted just two innings against the Los Angeles Angels before the triceps fatigue issue ended his day early, setting up the current window where the team is deciding whether to move forward on a standard schedule of rest.

Even with the encouraging bullpen check, the Rangers will likely continue to emphasize caution as the calendar tightens. A series finale start can be a meaningful checkpoint for both pitcher and team, because it tests whether the recovery hold steady when deGrom transitions from a controlled bullpen environment back to live batting.

From a matchup standpoint, a deGrom start against Washington also changes how Texas shapes the rest of the rotation’s week. A confirmed turn for him would allow the club to lock in its pitching order with fewer late adjustments, while any new flare-up would force the Rangers back into contingency mode.

For now, the practical storyline is simple: deGrom’s health looks better than it did during the premature exit, and Texas is evaluating whether that improvement holds long enough for him to take the ball again. Over the next several days, all eyes will be on how the team reports his status and whether he stays on track for the Nationals series finale.