Rangers' deGrom limited by 'tender' knee in win

Ace pitcher left game early due to knee issue as Texas defeated Seattle

Apr. 7, 2026 at 7:08am

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting a baseball pitcher's motion broken down into overlapping planes of muted blue, green, and gray tones, conveying the uncertainty and limitations caused by an injury.An abstract, cubist-inspired illustration captures the fragmented motion of a pitcher limited by injury, reflecting the uncertainty surrounding the Rangers' ace.Arlington Today

Texas Rangers star pitcher Jacob deGrom was limited to just five innings and 78 pitches in Monday night's game against the Seattle Mariners due to a 'tender' right knee that he felt before the start. Despite the early exit, the Rangers were still able to secure a victory over their AL West rivals.

Why it matters

DeGrom is the Rangers' ace and one of the best pitchers in baseball, so any injury concern with his health is significant news for the team and their playoff aspirations this season. The Rangers will need deGrom at full strength if they hope to contend in the competitive AL West division.

The details

According to deGrom, he felt something in his right knee before taking the mound on Monday, which led the Rangers to limit his outing to just five innings. He was able to record 7 strikeouts during that time, but was removed from the game after throwing 78 pitches as a precautionary measure. The Rangers' bullpen was then able to preserve the lead and secure the win over the Mariners.

  • DeGrom felt the knee issue before Monday night's start against the Mariners.
  • DeGrom was limited to 5 innings and 78 pitches in the Rangers' win over Seattle.

The players

Jacob deGrom

Ace pitcher for the Texas Rangers and one of the best pitchers in Major League Baseball.

Texas Rangers

A professional baseball team based in Arlington, Texas that competes in the American League West division of MLB.

Seattle Mariners

A professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington that competes in the American League West division of MLB.

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What they’re saying

“I felt something in my knee before the game, so we decided to be cautious and limit my outing tonight.”

— Jacob deGrom

What’s next

The Rangers will continue to monitor deGrom's knee injury and provide updates on his status ahead of his next scheduled start.

The takeaway

While the Rangers were able to secure a win without their ace at full strength, the team will need deGrom healthy and pitching at a high level if they hope to make a deep playoff run this season in the competitive AL West.