Jacob deGrom's season is off to a dubious start.
The Texas Rangers scratched the oft-injured starter just before what was supposed to be his first game of the season on Saturday with neck stiffness.
However, Texas does not believe the injury to be serious, and deGrom could start later in its six-game season-opening road trip, Evan Grant of Dallas Morning News reported.
Right-hander Jacob Latz will get the nod against the Philadelphia Phillies in deGrom's absence. He failed to win a spot in the rotation out of spring training and has pitched mostly out of the bullpen in parts of four seasons with the Rangers.
Latz, 29, pitched in 33 games with the Rangers last season, including eight starts, with a 2.84 ERA.
DeGrom, 37, made 30 starts last season, recording a 2.97 ERA and 0.92 WHIP.
His final two years with the New York Mets were plagued by injury before he left in free agency after the 2022 season. He then had Tommy John surgery after only six starts in his Rangers debut in 2023, the season of their only World Series title. They won each of his starts that all came before the end of April that year.
The $185 million, five-year deal deGrom signed with Texas included a conditional sixth-year club option worth at least $20 million and up to $37 million for 2028 that has been triggered because of the time missed injured.
--with files from The Associated Press
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