Jacob deGrom exited with a sore right wrist after pitching four spotless innings, and two Texas Rangers relievers completed a one-hitter Monday night in a 4-0 victory over the Kansas City Royals.
The Rangers said deGrom was removed as a precaution. The two-time National League Cy Young Award winner struck out five and walked one, throwing 39 of his 58 pitches for strikes.
“I felt it a little bit warming up,” deGrom said. “I thought it was going to loosen up and it actually tightened up a little bit as the game went on.
“Weāre playing it smart. Could I have kept going? Probably. But it was lingering and it got a little bit worse as the game went on. I just want to play it safe. Weāve got a long season ahead of us.”
Texas manager Bruce Bochy said there’s concern any time you have to take a player out of a game because of injury, but he’s optimistic.
“We’ll re-evaluate him tomorrow,” Bochy said. “Any time you take somebody out, that’s a fair question. I think I can answer it better tomorrow. Right now, I feel pretty good about it.”
Marcus Semien smashes a solo home run to put the Rangers ahead 4-0 over the Royals
Josh Jung launched a three-run homer in the first inning and Marcus Semien added a solo shot in the third. Dane Dunning struck out five and walked none in 4 1/3 innings of relief.
“He’s been doing a terrific job for us,” Bochy said. “With the confidence in Dane coming in, we felt good. We brought in a guy who’s been throwing the ball well. He was set to go, so that was an easy call.”
Matt Duffy’s one-out single in the fifth off Dunning was Kansas City’s only hit. JosĆ© Leclerc got two outs to end it.
Beset by injuries the past two seasons with the New York Mets, deGrom signed a $185 million, five-year contract with Texas as a free agent in December.
“I’m honestly not too concerned,” he said. “I would like to think I’ll make my next (start), but we’ll see how it is tomorrow.”
The right-hander is 1-0 with a 3.48 ERA in four starts for the Rangers.
The only baserunners deGrom permitted came on an error by first baseman Nathaniel Lowe in the third and a walk to Vinnie Pasquantino in the fourth.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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