Mets reportedly will make 'strong' early offer for Jacob deGrom

It appears the New York Mets aren't willing to lose ace Jacob deGrom without putting up a fight. 

SNY's Andy Martino (h/t Danny Abriano) reported Tuesday morning from the general managers' meetings in Las Vegas that he thinks the Mets will make a "strong" early offer for deGrom after the 34-year-old opted out of his contract as had been expected since March. 

Martino said the Mets won't let deGrom "lead them down a free agency chase" ahead of the winter months and also that the Amazins "remain unsure whether deGrom wants to be back." The two-time National League Cy Young Award winner continues to be linked in reports and rumors with the Atlanta Braves and Texas Rangers, and Martino reports those are the "two teams the Mets are most worried about when it comes to who could sign deGrom away." 

Martino also repeated previous claims and said "deGrom will want to eclipse Max Scherzer's record deal that paid him $43.3 million annually." However, it's unclear if the right-hander will receive such an offer because of his worrisome injury history. 

Most recently, deGrom missed the second half of the 2021 season due to lingering elbow issues. He then didn't make his 2022 campaign debut until August after he experienced a stress reaction in the scapula of his pitching shoulder during spring training. In total, deGrom notched a 5-4 record with a 3.08 ERA and 102 strikeouts across 11 starts and 64.1 innings of work this year. 

During the playoffs, Philadelphia Phillies starter Zack Wheeler noted that deGrom, his former teammate with the Mets, "told me he is happy there" but also "wants to get compensated for what he’s done." 

Last week, Mets outfielder Mark Canha said that "Jake told me he wants to come back" and that deGrom "really likes it here." Of course, such comments don't guarantee the Mets will match deGrom's asking price this offseason.