It’s going to be a Holly Jolly Christmas in the Jacob deGrom household this year. Multiple reports have the Texas Rangers signing the now former Mets hurler to an unprecedented five year 185 million dollar deal ending his baseball life in Flushing New York. Of course Jeff Pasan of ESPN had it first.
While the people in Arlington celebrate in the streets the good folks of New York wonder why why why ? Why would their owner Steve Cohen not pony up this kind of money for the best pitcher in baseball. Well I’ll tell you . Because it's stupid. Yes folks, even the screwups in Texas are bigger. My people tell me that the Mets didn’t even have a chance to make an offer as deGrom and the Rangers wanted each other just that badly. There was no bidding war. But lets digress
The Rangers have made a deal that will pay the former rookie of the year (2014) and two time Cy young winner (2018 - 2019) deGrom 30 million in 2023 then 40 million in both, 24 and 25’ then the number drops to 39 million in 2026 and 37 million in 2027. There is a club option for 2028 at another 37 million. That's a lot of cabbage for a man who has managed to pitch just 224 1⁄3 innings over the past three seasons. There is no doubt DeGrom is one of if not the best pitcher on the planet when he is right when he is healthy. But to gamble like this seems to me like showing up at the craps table drunk.
As always you can follow / give me grief on Twitter @Tmurph207