There was a time when it seemed Jacob deGrom’s career in Major League Baseball might never truly take off. The man who once turned heads as a college shortstop from Stetson University had all the raw tools to become a generational talent on the mound, but recurring injuries kept blocking his path. His arm was electric, his mechanics flawless, but his body often failed to match his ambition.

On a sunny Sunday afternoon, wearing the Texas Rangers’ red, white, and blue, deGrom reminded everyone exactly why he’s considered one of the most gifted pitchers in modern baseball.

That day, he etched his name into MLB history yet again—becoming the fastest pitcher ever to reach 1,800 strikeouts. And he didn’t just edge past the record—he smashed it by two separate measures. It took him only 1,492 innings to hit the milestone, surpassing Chris Sale’s previous mark of 1,498. Even more impressively, he did it in just 240 career games, beating Hall of Famer Randy Johnson’s record of 243 games.

The Rangers would go on to lose the game to the Seattle Mariners, and deGrom got touched up after setting the milestone, but none of that dampened the magnitude of his achievement. For most fans, the day wasn’t about the scoreboard—it was about the remarkable journey of a player who went from unheralded college infielder to the best pitcher in baseball, only to be derailed by injury after injury, and then, against all odds, fought his way back to the top.

Kristin Cabbot with family and with Andy Byron (Photos via X)

From Queens to Cooperstown Trajectory

DeGrom’s early years with the New York Mets were electric. He emerged in the mid-2010s as a force to be reckoned with, winning back-to-back National League Cy Young Awards in 2018 and 2019. His fastball regularly touched triple digits, his slider sliced through bats, and his control bordered on surgical precision. But even as he dominated opposing hitters, his career momentum was slowed by a steady drumbeat of injuries.

The 2021 and 2022 seasons tested him more than any others. He missed more than half of each year with various ailments, leaving fans and analysts to wonder whether they’d ever see the same pitcher again. When he did make it onto the mound, the brilliance was still there—but the interruptions created an air of uncertainty about his future.

That uncertainty deepened when he signed a five-year, $185 million contract with the Texas Rangers before the 2023 season. Critics called it an enormous gamble for a pitcher in his mid-30s with a lengthy medical history. And when deGrom made only six starts in 2023 and three more early in 2024, the skeptics seemed to have been proven right.

Kristin Cabot (Photos via Google)

The 2025 Resurgence

Then came 2025, and with it, the return of the Jacob deGrom that fans had been waiting for.

Now 37 years old, the 6-foot-4 flamethrower has already made more starts this season than in any campaign since 2019. His ERA sits under 3.00, he earned an All-Star nod, and—perhaps most tellingly—his stuff hasn’t lost a step. He’s still touching 99 mph with his fastball, his slider still carves through the strike zone in the low-90s, and hitters still come up empty on swings that looked hittable until the very last second.

Baseball reveres its legends, and deGrom is now adding chapters to a career that already feels Cooperstown-bound. What makes this latest milestone so extraordinary isn’t just the stats, but the resilience it took to get here. Many pitchers who reach 1,800 strikeouts do so through years of relative health. DeGrom had to fight through rehab after rehab, endure the mental toll of setbacks, and resist the temptation to give in to doubt—all while still beating Chris Sale and Randy Johnson to the punch.

The Man Behind the Numbers

It’s not just the radar gun readings that make deGrom beloved. Coaches and teammates praise his professionalism, relentless work ethic, and quiet intensity. He doesn’t posture, doesn’t self-promote—he simply takes the ball, stares down the hitter, and executes.

The Rangers knew they were signing a competitor, but few could have predicted such a dramatic resurgence. Now, alongside Nathan Eovaldi and newly acquired Merrill Kelly, Texas boasts one of the most formidable rotations in the American League. In a season where the Rangers are pushing hard for a postseason run, deGrom could be the X-factor that tips October in their favor.

When asked about the record after the game, deGrom’s response was characteristically understated. “It’s cool,” he said. “But the focus is on winning games. We’ve got a good team here, and I just want to do my part.”

Why It Matters

For fans, watching deGrom back in full flight is like seeing a master painter return to the canvas after years away. Every pitch is a brushstroke, each sequence a composition of skill and strategy. For the Rangers, it’s the return on an investment that many doubted. For deGrom himself, it’s vindication—a living answer to every whispered “he’s done” over the past four years.

The strikeouts will keep coming. The fastball will keep lighting up scoreboards. And Jacob deGrom will keep defying expectations—one pitch, one inning, one milestone at a time.