Rangers' DeGrom Sidelined, Latz Steps Up

0:00On March 2-8, Texas Rangers had to pull their ace Jacob DeGrom from his Saturday start against the Phillies because of some next stiffness. That's the two-time side-young winner they were counting on. Instead, they handed the ball to Lefty Jacob Blatz, who's been mostly a reliever over four seasons with the team. Manager Skip Shoemaker says he expects DeGrom back on the mound Tuesday or Wednesday when they face Baltimore. No major alarm bells yet, just a smart move to keep him healthy. Austin cracked the rotation out of spring training, so this is a big chance for him to step up from the bullpen role he's known for. DeGrom's had a rough ride lately. Injuries dogged his last two years with the Mets, then Tommy John's surgery after just six starts in his 20. 23 Rangers debut. They won every one of those early games during their World Series run. That massive $185 million dollar, five-year deal he signed, includes a triggered sixth-year option for 2028. Worth that. At least 20 million, and up to 37 million because of all the injury time.

1:03Rangers are playing the long game with their star, hoping he stays sharp for the stretch run. That's the story for today, MLB News Today, driven by AI, I'm Corey with The Story.