Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Looking back, the Mets got a bargain.
At the time he agreed to a five-year, $137.5 million deal which would keep him a Met for the foreseeable future, Jacob deGrom had emerged from obscurity to become the game’s best at his position. A ninth-round selection who didn’t enter the majors until age 26, deGrom was the NL Rookie of the Year in 2014 and solidified himself as a high-leverage performer during the 2015 postseason. In 2016 and 2017, he was a very good pitcher. In 2018, he was otherworldly.
Drawing comparisons to Tom Seaver and Dwight Gooden‘s greatest seasons, the 30-year-old deGrom had 269 strikeouts in 217 innings and finished with a ridiculous 218 ERA+ with run support that was meager at best. His ERA was the fifth-lowest in a single season since the mound was lowered in 1969. The Cy Young Award voting was no contest.
Even though free agency was still a couple of years away, pressure to reach an extension had come from — among other places — deGrom’s agent: some guy named Brodie Van Wagenen. Before embarking on defending the Cy Young title, deGrom was set to make $17 million — and would have been eligible for arbitration in 2020. At the time the new contract was agreed upon, it was slightly under David Wright‘s $138 million deal as the largest ever given out by the franchise.
“I look forward to being here a long time,” deGrom said in the press conference. “Hopefully a lifelong Met.”
DeGrom has since enhanced his status in the team’s hierarchy. In 59 outings, he has fanned 509 batters with a minuscule WHIP of 0.863 and has lowered his career ERA to 2.50 as he challenges Seaver’s all-time Mets mark. In 2019, he retained his crown as the best pitcher and hasn’t let it go. He would’ve added to his back-to-back Cy Young Awards if not for the two shortened seasons that followed — one because of the pandemic, the other because of injury.
A specific detail to the five-year contract came to the forefront recently. DeGrom announced in spring training that he would exercise his opt-out option following this season. Now that baseball’s highest-paid pitcher makes north of $43 million annually, and just so happens to be in the same rotation, it’s easy to understand deGrom’s decision.
Fortunately, the spending habits of current ownership suggest he’ll stay in Queens while also getting paid what he deserves. It’ll be high price, but he’s worth it.
