New York Mets paying for locker room peace with Jacob deGrom
By David Hill
The New York Mets may not have had to extend Jacob deGrom just yet. However, they really did not have any other choice.
On a day that was filled with extensions, the New York Mets made headlines once again. Jacob deGrom has signed a five year extension with the Mets, locking him in through 2023, with a team option for 2024, and an opt-out after 2022. Considering how well deGrom performed last season, and throughout his career, the extension is well deserved.
And yet, it was not a deal the Mets had to make financially. deGrom was still under team command for the next two seasons, and would enter free agency at 32 years old. The Mets did have him throughout his prime. Yet, this is a deal that needed to be made for reasons outside of keeping deGrom under Mets control.
Bottom line on deGrom: #Mets did NOT have to do this. His first free-agent year would have been at 33. There is no precedent for a pitcher of that age, this far from free agency, getting a deal this big. NYM surely sensed possible fan and player backlash if they did not commit.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) March 26, 2019
While teams should not build based on what the fanbase wants, the idea of player backlash was certainly a possibility. There had already been signs of discontent, especially given Noah Syndergaard’s statements regarding the Mets travel plans and the lack of an extension for deGrom. Dissention appeared to be in the air.
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The idea that dissension could torpedo the season before it even began was not something that the Mets could afford. They made numerous moves this offseason with the goal of contending, revamping their bullpen and lineup. Having their top two starters in a less than ideal mindset at the beginning of the season could start a chain reaction.
Sometimes, making sure that the locker room is on board is worth whatever money needs to be spent. That appears to be the Mets mindset, as they quelled any possible issues amongst the players by locking deGrom up to a long term deal.
Financially, the Mets did not need to make this deal. Yet, it was an extension that had to happen, for locker room peace if nothing else. Now the Mets can focus on the task at hand, and Look to return to the postseason with their revamped roster.
Next. The Bobby Bonilla chain. dark
The New York Mets may have had Jacob deGrom under two more years of team control, but an extension needed to happen anyway. With Opening Day around the corner, and deGrom signed to a long term deal, the Mets can focus on the diamond instead of their bottom line.