DeGrom’s level of mastery appears to have returned as well. Like Scherzer, he was dominant in Spring Training, though with a more cautious, load-managed approach. The 37-year-old worked under a strict pitch count in his lone outing, striking out five over three innings while showcasing a high-90s fastball, paired with a devastating slider that remains nearly unhittable.
He struck out seven through four and a third in his 2026 regular season debut, tossing three scoreless innings, before giving up a Pete Alonso Home Run in the fourth. deGrom didn’t factor into the decision, in Texas’ 8-5 win over Baltimore, but his stuff was once again electric and he certainly gave his team an opportunity to capture its fourth win, in what aims to be a super competitive AL West.
deGrom’s Sustained Velo
Remarkably, deGrom now throws harder than he did during his 2014 Rookie of the Year campaign. His peak from 2017–2019 stands among the most outstanding stretches in modern pitching history. In 2021, he appeared on track for unprecedented statistical territory, posting a 1.08 ERA through 15 starts before arm injuries resurfaced, ultimately leading to Tommy John surgery, the second of his career.
What followed is critical to his Hall of Fame case: resilience. After missing significant time, deGrom returned to All-Star form in 2025 without losing his edge. That ability to rebound from career-threatening adversity is an intangible voters must weigh alongside his elite—but shorter—statistical résumé.
“Every time you take the field, give a hundred percent and leave it all out there.” – Jacob deGrom
That mindset defines deGrom’s legacy. Can he pitch effectively at age 40, similar to Scherzer? At this rate, few would bet against him.
Both pitchers likely have one to three seasons left in which they can provide not only clubhouse leadership, but meaningful production on the mound. It’s not hard to imagine Scherzer and deGrom appearing on the same Hall of Fame ballot in the early 2030s—with Scherzer a first-ballot lock, and deGrom potentially joining him in Cooperstown soon after.
