DeGrom (side) isn't expected to pitch during the Rangers' first week of Cactus League games, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.

EDGE Analysis

DeGrom was removed from workouts for four days with tightness in his side but is scheduled to resume on-field activity Sunday. The Rangers are exhibiting an abundance of caution with the right-hander, and Grant notes that deGrom's initial action may come in "B" games or intra-squad games, where the environment is more controlled.

DeGrom (side) won't throw a bullpen session Sunday but will play catch and go through fielding drills, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

DeGrom is dealing with some side tightness early in camp, and while the issue is a very common one for pitchers to experience at this stage of spring, it's brought extra scrutiny given deGrom's talent level and lengthy recent injury history. The Rangers have suggested he would be able to pitch through the problem in the regular season, but there's no reason to push things with Opening Day still nearly six weeks away. DeGrom will take part in some activities Sunday with an eye towards potentially throwing a bullpen session Monday or Tuesday.

DeGrom (side) could resume throwing Sunday or Monday, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.

EDGE Analysis

DeGrom's throwing program is on pause after he felt some tightness in his left side during a bullpen session earlier this week. The Rangers have downplayed the severity of the issue, suggesting the veteran right-hander would be pitching if it were the regular season. The injury isn't a concern at this point, but obviously deGrom will be watched closely over the next several days.

Rangers general manager Chris Young said Wednesday that DeGrom felt tightness in his left side during a bullpen session earlier this week and won't throw again for another day or two, Levi Weaver of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

Though anything remotely injury related pertaining to deGrom is sure to raise concerns for fantasy managers, Levi Weaver of The Athletic relays that the Rangers said that the side issue isn't serious and would be something the star right-hander would be able to pitch through during the regular season. However, with spring training in its earliest stage and due to the unseasonably cold weather in Arizona, Young said the Rangers opted to delay deGrom's next throwing session out of "an abundance of caution." Those invested in deGrom will still want to check back on the news over the next few days to ensure that he did in fact resume his throwing program, as Young suggested will be the case.

DeGrom signed a five-year, $185 million contract with the Rangers on Friday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

The contract includes a conditional sixth year that would make the deal worth $222 million. He has a full no-trade clause. The commitment from ownership in Texas has been quite impressive, as they committed $556 million to Corey Seager, Marcus Semien and Jon Gray last offseason. DeGrom unsurprisingly opted for a longer contract, as durability is the only question mark with him. The 34-year-old righty logged a 3.08 ERA, 2.13 FIP and 0.75 WHIP in 64.1 innings last season with the Mets after dealing with a shoulder injury for the first four months. He dealt with an elbow injury in 2021. According to the Statcast park factors, Globe Life Field is the 19th most hitter-friendly park while Citi Field ranked 26th, so it's a slight park downgrade and a major supporting cast downgrade.

DeGrom declined his $30.5 million player option for 2023 on Monday, becoming a free agent.

EDGE Analysis

DeGrom chose to exercise the opt-out clause in the five-year, $137.5 million contract extension he signed in March 2019 to try his luck in free agency for the first time since being drafted by the Mets in 2010. Though he was bogged down by a shoulder injury to open the campaign, the 34-year-old was electric when on the mound this season, producing a 3.08 ERA and 0.75 WHIP with 102 punchouts over 64.1 innings in 11 starts. After making at least 30 starts in four of his first six seasons in the league, deGrom has logged only 38 total outings over the last three years. Even so, deGrom maintains a career 2.52 ERA over nine MLB seasons, and his otherworldly numbers on a per-start basis make it likely that he earns the largest average annual value contract for any pitcher in this season's free-agency class. The Mets will presumably make retaining deGrom a high priority, but expect several contending clubs to at least put forth competitive offers.

DeGrom (finger) will start Saturday's Game 2 of the NL Wild Card Series against the Padres, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.

EDGE Analysis

This was always expected, though manager Buck Showalter briefly entertained the idea of saving deGrom for the NLDS. Any thought of that went out the window when Max Scherzer was rocked for seven runs -- including four homers -- in Friday's Game 1 loss. DeGrom left his final start of the regular season with a blister on his hand, but Showalter said Thursday that "we don't foresee it to be an issue."

Manager Buck Showalter downplayed deGrom's blister issue Thursday and said, "we don't foresee it to be an issue," Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

The veteran right-hander dealt with the blister across his final two starts of the regular season, but it appears the issue won't affect his outlook for the start of the playoffs. Max Scherzer is pitching Game 1 of the NL Wild Card Series versus the Padres on Friday, and deGrom is expected to take the mound either Saturday or Sunday, depending on the outcome of the series opener.

DeGrom isn't concerned about the blister that forced an early exit from his start Friday against Atlanta, saying, "This will be fine," Mike Puma of the New York Post reports.

EDGE Analysis

DeGrom's three runs allowed in six innings were a disappointment by his lofty standards, though his 11 strikeouts and no walks were sharp marks. It looks as though he'll have a chance to start Wednesday against Washington, though he might only be asked to do so if playoff seeding is on the line.

DeGrom (5-4) exited Friday's start against Atlanta with a blister, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports. He gave up three earned runs on five hits while striking out 11 and taking the loss.

EDGE Analysis

DeGrom threw 86 pitches and could have stayed in for the seventh inning if not for the blister. Austin Riley and Matt Olson hit back-to-back homers against deGrom at one point, so perhaps the blister was affecting his command. He tentatively lines up to pitch on the final day of the season against the Nationals, but the Mets may opt to give deGrom more time to get past this blister in advance of the postseason.