This is finally the vintage Jacob deGrom pitching for the Texas Rangers, and not because the lanky right-hander recently turned 37 years old.
After several injury-filled seasons in a row, both before and since going to Texas in free agency, deGrom is again an All-Star ace.
"It's a little bit of validation," deGrom said. "Coming back from a major surgery, your second Tommy John, there is some unknown. To be fortunate enough to be able to throw the ball pretty well, I'm just thankful to be able to be back out there on a major league mound."
DeGrom 9-2, 2.29 ERA this year has made 18 starts, twice as many as he had combined the past two seasons after joining the Rangers. It is already his most since 2019, when he won his second National League Cy Young Award in a row while pitching for the New York Mets.
His fifth All-Star nod is his first in the American League after being the only Texas player selected for the game next Tuesday night in Atlanta.