Texas Rangers Starting Pitcher Jacob deGrom and Houston Astros Starting Pitcher Hunter Brown were locked in a pitcher’s duel for the ages Thursday night. deGrom tossed eight scoreless innings and punched out seven. Brown surrendered one earned run over eight innings of work and struck out 9. A solo home run by First Baseman Jake Burger was the difference in the game. The Rangers walked out with a 1-0 victory to open up this four-game set.
deGrom and Brown’s performances last night were historic. It was the first game where both starting pitchers went 8+ innings pitched while allowing 1 or 0 runs since May 14 of last year. It was also the first MLB game since at least 1988 where both starting pitchers pitched 8+ innings, allowed no more than 1 run, struck out 7+ batters, and threw fewer than 100 pitches. Will deGrom and Brown be able to follow up on these performances the next time they toe the slab?
deGrom and Brown Season Summary
Jacob deGrom’s performance in 2025 has been a welcome sight. He has had the last half-decade of his career upended by injuries. He has shown flashes this season of the pitcher who won multiple Cy Young Awards with the New York Mets. He is 4-1 this year with a 2.29 ERA. The former Cy Young Award winner is 10th in the league in ERA and 11th in WHIP.
Hunter Brown has been even better than deGrom this season. Brown is 6-2 with a 1.43 ERA. He is tied for the league lead in wins, third in ERA, fourth in strikeouts, and fourth in WHIP. Brown has the third-best odds to win the American League Cy Young Award.
Final Thoughts
While baseball fans were locked into this pitcher’s duel, rightfully so, it was also a historic night for Texas Rangers Skipper Bruce Bochy. With the win Thursday night, he passed Sparky Anderson for the sixth-most managerial wins in league history.
deGrom’s next scheduled start is May 21 on the road against the New York Yankees. The Yankees will test his form as they feature one of the league’s most potent offenses. Brown is scheduled to pitch next on the road against the Tampa Bay Rays on May 21. Both deGrom and Brown will look to build upon tremendous starts.
