MLB insiders debate deGrom number retirement during return to New York

“I’ve covered baseball for nearly thirty years in this city, peak deGrom guys, I’ve never seen anything like it,” Lennon said. “When he was at the top of his game, he would start the first two innings of a game throwing nothing but fastballs, and guys couldn’t touch it. The command he had of those pitches was ridiculous.”

deGrom started 209 games during his nine-year Mets career, posting a record of 82-57 with a 2.52 ERA and 0.998 WHIP; the right-hander won the NL Rookie of the Year Award in 2014 and back-to-back NL Cy Young Awards in 2018 and 2019 with the team. His current career strikeout-to-walk ratio of 5.39 is the highest in MLB history.

However, Martino provided a more down-to-Earth take on deGrom’s legacy with the Mets.

“There were a lot of uncomfortable moments besides the two Cy Youngs. He would pitch, go all out like you said Dave, that he would come out of games earlier than the Mets would have preferred their starting pitcher to come out. Oftentimes, he would say there was a physical issue.”

deGrom’s injury history certainly speaks for itself. He had elbow issues since 2016 and finally underwent Tommy John surgery in 2023 during his first season with the Texas Rangers. Martino pointed out that tension over deGrom's injuries and contract status led to his abrupt departure from the Mets in 2022.

“I remember the time Sandy Alderson revealed that there was some UCL damage, and deGrom was upset about that and held his own press conference. I remember deGrom being upset about the contract that he signed, and remember him leaving really without a trace,” Martino added. “I think this is somebody who excelled for a brief period in a darker time for the franchise, and the Mets are creating memories that are going to exceed that sometime very soon.”

While every analyst on the panel appreciated deGrom’s legacy with the Mets, none of them believes that his number should be retired. The Rangers are scheduled to play in Queens at Citi Field from September 12th to 14th, 2025; if deGrom is scheduled to pitch one of those days, it will be his first game in Queens since his departure.