With the free agency of New York Mets ace, Jacob deGrom, there have been some recent updates provided.
Pertaining to the Mets and deGrom specifically, though, there has been no new buzz. However, all along, it has seemed as if there has been mutual interest.
The Mets did happen to meet with one ace on the market yesterday, Carlos Rodon. It suggests that the Mets do have a backup plan to deGrom and know they need to have a premier top starter after this free agency.
Latest news on Mets’ Jacob deGrom’s market:
The Tampa Bay Rays have been in contact:
This report came from Andy Martino of SNY yesterday. The Rays have reached out to the representatives of deGrom.
While it seems unlikely this is the landing spot for deGrom, there has been contact. The Rays have shown a recent willingness to go after prime free agents like Freddie Freeman a year ago.
The other teams with interest in deGrom, noted by Martino, are the Mets, Yankees, and Texas Rangers.
Some teams view deGrom as a “big risk”:
This is perhaps not the biggest surprise. deGrom is aging a bit, as he will turn 35 next year. Pair that with his recent injury concerns, and paying him a lofty contract is more than risky.
On Monday, Martino had this to say about deGrom’s market.
“I think this is breaking in the Mets’ favor a little bit. We have not seen teams step up at the level the Mets are willing to be. Which we’ve said before, is clearly three years. I don’t think the Mets would go four. But I think other teams, rightly, view deGrom as a big risk. He’s not Corey Kluber of a couple years ago, but other teams are sort of seeing him in that category, where you take a flier on him. … The confidence on the Mets’ part in being able to get him definitely feels to me is increasing.”
deGrom’s market not being as competitive as expected undoubtedly plays in the Mets’ favor.
Rangers are more optimistic about signing Rodon, Senga:
This report came from Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. He shared the following.
“As always, the market for free agents is difficult to read. But to this point, the Rangers seem more confident of landing left-hander Carlos Rodon and possibly Japanese righty Kodai Senga than they do of signing the best available starting pitcher, Jacob deGrom, or most accomplished, Justin Verlander.”
Pair this buzz up with the second report listed above, and the Mets may very well be in the driver’s seat to retain deGrom.
Obviously, at this point in time, it is hard to get a complete read on where things stand. But should these few reports be accurate when all is said and done, and the Mets have got to be confident that they can meet on a three-year contract with their stud pitcher, deGrom?
More must-reads: