New York Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom could be one of the more fascinating pitchers in free agency.
There is no question that he is one of the best pitchers in the game when he is on the mound. The problem is that getting him on the mound has been tenuous at best over the past two years. Shoulder and forearm woes have kept deGrom to just 26 appearances over the past two seasons, and at 34 years old, it is fair to wonder if he will be able to put together a full season on the mound again.
Three potential landing spots for New York Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom
Even with those concerns, deGrom will be one of the best pitchers on the market. Once he opts out of his contract and declines the Qualifying Offer, he will have his pick of teams. Any franchise looking to contend in the next year or two will be interested in deGrom, even if he may be one of the biggest gambles on the market.
Where will New York Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom find himself next season? Let’s look at three possible landing spots for 2023 and beyond.
New York Mets
It is difficult to imagine that anyone is going to outspend New York Mets owner Steve Cohen again this offseason.
Cohen had been adamant that the Mets would return to their glory days while he owned the team. The 2022 season appeared to be a great first step toward that goal as they won 101 games and reached the postseason. However, they lost the division in the final days and were unceremoniously bounced out of the playoffs in the Wild Card round. Based on his statements and willingness to spend, he will be doing everything possible to improve the roster.
That includes addressing the rotation. Not only is deGrom likely to be a free agent, but Chris Bassitt, Taijuan Walker, and Carlos Carrasco are all likely to be on the market as well. The Mets may need to rebuild their rotation in a hurry.
The most obvious answer is to keep deGrom. The Mets may not care about his age, especially after handing over $43 million a year to Max Scherzer. They know exactly how he is and the familiarity on both sides has to make the Mets the favorites. Add in their willingness to spend whatever it takes, and it is difficult to imagine deGrom pitching elsewhere unless he feels it is time to move on.
The New York Mets are not going to let Jacob deGrom go without a fight. He may end up returning for the next few years.