ARLINGTON, Texas — Jacob deGrom experienced some mild discomfort in his right knee before taking the mound Monday, prompting the Texas Rangers to limit him to five innings and 78 pitches in a 2-1 victory over Seattle. The veteran right-hander said the sensation was noticeable but not severe, and he expects it to be manageable.

Rangers manager Skip Schumaker explained the decision to cap deGrom’s outing was precautionary — the club didn’t want to overwork the 37-year-old. Despite the early issue, deGrom produced an efficient outing: he allowed a single hit, walked one batter and fanned six. The lone hit was a first-inning home run surrendered to Cal Raleigh after a 12-pitch at-bat.

“I feel OK,” deGrom said after the game. “It’s a little tender, but I think we’ll be OK.” He added that giving up the homer made him focus on settling in, especially in what was a tight, low-scoring contest.

This appearance marked deGrom’s 250th career start, a milestone that places him among the more experienced active pitchers in the game. He returned to form last season, earning AL Comeback Player of the Year honors after going 12-8 with a 2.97 ERA following a second major reconstruction of his pitching elbow.

DeGrom’s outing followed a recent short start in Baltimore, when he went 4 2/3 innings and threw 78 pitches, and a March 28 scratch from a scheduled start because of neck stiffness. With those recent stops and starts, the Rangers are choosing a cautious path as they manage the workload of a prized veteran who remains grateful for the chance to pitch. “Any day you can put this uniform on, you’ve got to be thankful for that,” he said.