Texas Rangers ace right-hander Jacob deGrom, who was scratched from Saturday's start because of neck stiffness, said Sunday he feels "much better" and is hopeful that he can make his season debut this week.
"We'll see how it goes [Monday]," deGrom told reporters after playing catch and throwing out to 120 feet. "It's definitely a big improvement from yesterday."
Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said it's "still a possibility" that deGrom, 37, returns Tuesday or Wednesday against the Baltimore Orioles, but the team will proceed on a day-to-day basis.
DeGrom went 12-8 with a 2.97 ERA and 185 strikeouts last season. His final two years with the New York Mets were plagued by injury before he left in free agency after the 2022 season, and the two-time Cy Young Award winner had Tommy John surgery after only six starts in his Rangers run in 2023.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
