The Texas Rangers, losers of seven straight series, will welcome back a pair of important arms at some point over the final 37 games of the season - one in the form of a former top prospect and another in the form of a former two-time Cy Young Award winner.
Rangers general manager Chris Young joined the GBag Nation for his weekly appearance on 105.3 The Fan Monday afternoon and confirmed that Jacob deGrom will make the first of four rehab starts on Thursday with Double-A Frisco and Jack Leiter will return to the big-league club before the season concludes.
"We're excited for Jacob in terms of everything he's been through. It's a big step to get back out even if it's in a Double-A game. ... He committed to his rehab and did everything possible to get back this season, and here we are 14 months later where he's ready to go out on rehab," Young said.
"He's a huge piece of next year. We're counting on him being the ace of our staff. Having him healthy, and motivated, and getting him out there to get his feet under him this year is important. Getting him back for next year and hopefully for a championship run we're hoping to make is huge."
deGrom has missed the entire season while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery he underwent in the middle of the 2023 season.
As for Leiter, Young said the young right-hander will be back with the club "relatively soon" after he struck out 11 in his most-recent out with Triple-A Round Rock.
While Leiter has allowed just 11 earned runs over his last eight starts for the Express, Young said the 24 year old may start or come out of the bullpen when he's re-called.
"Jack's had a great year. With six weeks to go, we want to see Jack finish strong through the finish line. My anticipation is you'll see him back in the big-leagues - I don't know when - but sometime relatively soon," Young said. "We want to see him come up and have success, and whether that's as a starter or a reliever, it doesn't mean that's where he's going to be next year. But just getting him integrated into the big-leagues and having some success, and finishing strong through September is going to be important. But I'm very pleased with the year he's had, and I'm looking forward to see him continue the progress he's made into the offseason and into next year."