Jacob deGrom is still dealing — and stirring a fascinating HOF debate — with the Rangers

Five years can pass like an eternity in baseball. It is a stretch of time where careers can begin and end, where young players can flourish into stars, where stars can fade into the backdrop.Only five years ago, when Jacob deGrom was at the peak of his powers, he was openly talking to ESPN about not only pitching into his 40s but also his Cooperstown aspirations.“To become an inner-circle Hall of Famer,” he had said, “I’m gonna have to play that long.”Advertisement