History of Jacob deGrom in Timeline
Jacob deGrom is a professional baseball pitcher currently playing for the Texas Rangers in MLB. Before joining the Rangers, he was a prominent player for the New York Mets. DeGrom is known for his exceptional pitching skills and has garnered significant recognition in the sport.
1973: Tom Seaver
In 1973, Tom Seaver set the Mets franchise postseason record with 13 strikeouts.
1984: Dwight Gooden
In 1984, Dwight Gooden was named the National League Rookie of the Year.
June 19, 1988: Jacob deGrom is Born
On June 19, 1988, Jacob Anthony deGrom was born. He is an American professional baseball pitcher currently playing for the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball (MLB).
2000: 2000 Subway Series
In 2000, the New York Mets appeared in the Subway Series.
May 2009: First Appearance as a Pitcher
In May 2009, Jacob deGrom made his first appearance as a pitcher.
2010: Signed with Mets and Injury
In 2010, deGrom signed with the Mets and was later diagnosed with a partial tear of the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his pitching elbow.
2010: Drafted by the Mets
In 2010, the Mets selected deGrom in the ninth round of the MLB draft.
2011: Tommy John Surgery
In 2011, Jacob deGrom did not pitch while he recovered from Tommy John surgery to repair the UCL.
2012: Pitched for Savannah Sand Gnats and St. Lucie Mets
In 2012, deGrom pitched for the Savannah Sand Gnats and St. Lucie Mets, finishing the year with a 2.43 earned run average in 19 games started.
November 20, 2013: Added to Mets 40-man roster
On November 20, 2013, the Mets added deGrom to their 40-man roster.
2013: Promoted to Binghamton and Las Vegas
In 2013, deGrom was promoted to the Binghamton Mets and later to the Las Vegas 51s.
May 12, 2014: Promoted to Major Leagues
On May 12, 2014, deGrom was promoted to the major leagues.
May 15, 2014: MLB Debut
On May 15, 2014, Jacob deGrom made his major league debut with the New York Mets.
September 15, 2014: Tied Major League Record
On September 15, 2014, deGrom faced the Marlins and struck out his first eight batters, tying the major league record.
November 2014: Marriage to Stacey
In November 2014, Jacob deGrom married his wife, Stacey.
2014: Improved Mechanics
During the offseason before 2014, deGrom improved his mechanics, and learned to throw a curveball.
June 7, 2015: Named NL Co-Player of the Week
DeGrom and Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers were selected as NL Co-Players of the Week for the week ending June 7, 2015.
2015: Game 1 of the National League Division Series
During the 2015 National League Division Series, he allowed no runs and five hits over seven innings pitched and tied a Mets franchise postseason record with 13 strikeouts.
April 2016: Birth of Son
In April 2016, Jacob deGrom and his wife, Stacey, had a son.
2016: Contract Disagreement
In 2016, DeGrom initially refused to sign the contract for the $607,000 salary assigned to him.
2016: Season-Ending Surgery
In 2016, deGrom underwent season-ending surgery on his ulnar nerve to relieve discomfort in his elbow and numbness in his fingers.
June 18, 2017: First Career Home Run
On June 18, 2017, deGrom hit his first career home run at Citi Field against Joe Ross of the Washington Nationals.
2017: Max Scherzer won Cy Young Award
In 2017, Max Scherzer won the Cy Young Award.
2017: Salary Arbitration
In 2017, deGrom and the Mets avoided an arbitration hearing by agreeing to a salary of $4.05 million for the season.
2017: Finished Season Without Disabled List
In 2017, deGrom was the only Mets starting pitcher who finished the season without spending any time on the disabled list.
February 2018: Birth of Daughter
In February 2018, Jacob deGrom and his wife, Stacey, had a daughter, their second child.
2018: Hired Van Wagenen
During the 2018-19 offseason, the Mets hired Van Wagenen as their general manager.
2018: Won the Cy Young Award
In 2018, deGrom led the NL in earned run average and won the Cy Young Award.
2018: Cy Young Award Winner
In 2018, deGrom was announced as the National League Cy Young Award winner.
2018: Placed on Disabled List and All-Star Selection
In 2018, deGrom was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a hyperextended pitching elbow but was also named to the 2018 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.
December 2019: New York Athlete of the Decade
In December 2019, the New York Post named Jacob deGrom their New York Athlete of the Decade.
2019: Won the Cy Young Award Again
In 2019, Jacob deGrom led the NL in strikeouts and won the Cy Young Award for the second year in a row.
2019: Contract Extension and Cy Young Award
In 2019, deGrom agreed to a five-year contract extension with the Mets and won his second straight Cy Young Award.
2020: Led National League in Strikeouts
During the shortened 2020 season, deGrom led the National League in strikeouts for the second consecutive season.
April 23, 2021: Record Strikeout Game
On April 23, 2021, Jacob deGrom set a record for the most strikeouts in the first four starts of a season with 50. He pitched a complete game shutout, had a career-high 15 strikeouts, and set a franchise record by lowering his career earned run average to 2.55.
June 6, 2023: Tommy John Surgery Announcement
On June 6, 2023, the Texas Rangers announced that Jacob deGrom would require Tommy John surgery after suffering a torn UCL in his right elbow, sidelining him.
September 13, 2024: Return from Tommy John Surgery
On September 13, 2024, Jacob deGrom made his first major league start in 504 days after recovering from Tommy John surgery, pitching against the Mariners.
2024: Lowest Career WHIP
As of the end of the 2024 season, deGrom has the lowest career WHIP of any starting pitcher in the live-ball era.
2024: Contract Option
The five-year, $137.5 million contract extension that deGrom signed in 2019 includes an option for the 2024 season.
