Jacob deGrom could return to the New York Mets
Two-time Cy Young winner Jacob deGrom hasn’t necessarily encountered a huge market in MLB free agency. This may be due to his asking price and his injury history.
The New York Mets remain on re-signing deGrom while their biggest competitor at this point appears to be the Texas Rangers.
According to SNY’s Andy Martino, deGrom’s asking price for a three-year contract could cause other teams to pause in their pursuit of the veteran.
“With the Rangers now looking very interested in free agent starter Carlos Rodon, according to league sources, could the situation break the Mets way? After all, if the Rangers drop deGrom, who else but the Mets will offer deGrom a three-year contract?
Report on Jacob deGrom’s free agent status in MLB
Texas is once again active in free agency despite another lost season at Arlington. This includes pursuing some of the best starting pitchers available. However, deGrom didn’t make much sense on the surface.
He enters his 35-year-old season and has started all 38 games over the past three seasons. Rodon would be a better fit considering he is about five years younger than his counterpart.
Related: Jacob deGrom and MLB’s Best Free Agents of 2022-23
Jacob deGrom’s return to the New York Mets could be in the cards
The Mets have been linked to defending AL Cy Young winner Justin Verlander as a backup option if deGrom leaves in free agency. To be clear here. deGrom is the Mets’ No. 1 option, not Verlander.
If New York offers a three-year contract at market value with owner Steve Cohen ready to spend, there’s every reason to believe deGrom will choose to stay in New York. In fact, the Mets brass are counting on him to play his entire career with one team.
“Either way, the Mets are hoping that the notoriously hard to read deGrom will be swayed by the chance to play his entire career for one team,” reports Jacob deGrom’s thought. “It doesn’t hurt that the team has convinced pitching coach Jeremy Hefner to return, as Hefner is one of the few club officials deGrom will engage with in earnest (general manager Billy Eppler also established a collegiate relationship with deGrom).”
deGrom is coming off a 2022 campaign in which he went 5-4 with a 3.08 ERA and 0.75 WHIP while striking out 102 batters in 64.1 innings.
Related: MLB Free Agent Rumors
As for Jacob deGrom’s market, it should be noted that he could consider a contract of 125 million dollars over three years. That would be slightly less than the record-breaking, three-year, $130 million contract Max Scherzer signed with those same Mets last offseason.
