Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
In a report from Mike Puma of the New York Post, former New York Mets hurlers Noah Syndergaard and Zack Wheeler talk about Jacob deGrom’s upcoming free agency. Mostly, they believe deGrom is just seeking to receive the money he deserves he should be making with Wheeler saying “I just think he wants to get compensated for what he’s done.”
The concept of deGrom staying with the Mets has not been a popular one at the moment. Even with Billy Eppler having previously stated the initial conversations with deGrom have been good, there seems to be a belief that deGrom will be leaving. Certainly, part of that is reported about other teams looking to go all-out to sign the Mets ace.
However, deGrom is still the same pitcher who spoke about how important it was for him to remain with the Mets for his entire career. He was good friends with David Wright, who helped deGrom get his extension, and he wanted to be on one team for his entire career. “He told me he is happy there,” Wheeler said.
On that contract, Wheeler believed it to be a bit of a mistake at the time. About the extension, he said, “Can’t speak for him, it’s a lot of money and it’s life-changing money and I think anybody would have taken that at the time. But at the same time, people have seen what he’s done and maybe you can correct it along the way, and this is his chance to correct it.”
Puma and many others have noted the contract the Mets gave Max Scherzer. He is receiving a $43.3 million AAV for two years with a player option for a third at the same value. At the end of his deal, Scherzer could be 39 or 40. To put it in perspective, deGrom is 34 meaning the Mets could offer him more years to match Scherzer, and more importantly, make this his last opportunity to get paid as a player.
On that, Syndergaard would say, “With Steve Cohen anything is possible, especially when you have a pitcher like deGrom — he’s got the potential and stuff to be the best pitcher ever to walk this earth.” Notably, with Syndergaard, he would leave the Mets organization after the Los Angles Angles offered more money and what he thought was a better opportunity to recover from Tommy John.
Overall, Syndergaard and Wheeler believe deGrom is happy with the Mets, and Cohen has what it takes to keep deGrom a Mets ace for life. Mostly, they want to compete against him, and they want him to be healthy for the rest of his career. Of course, as we saw with both Syndergaard and Wheeler, there is no knowing what will happen when a Mets ace hits that free agent market.
