deGrom a true bombshell, but we’re just getting started
The Rangers took the primary swing of this yr’s Winter Meetings with a beginning pitcher, they usually did that earlier than the conferences technically even began. They signed Jacob deGrom away from the Mets and everybody else on Friday night time for a deal reportedly price $185 million over 5 years, which might find yourself being $222 million for six years if deGrom continues to be wholesome on the finish of it. So the Rangers swung for the fences, simply with an ace.
And in every other yr of baseball free company, it may need been the most important potential free-agent news of the upcoming week.
Just perhaps not this yr, and never this week, and never with this free-agent class, stuffed with as many stars — younger and previous and in between, the best way deGrom is at 34 — as any in baseball historical past.
deGrom goes to Texas along with his two Cy Young Awards. But Justin Verlander continues to be on the market along with his three Cy Youngs and an MVP Award on his resume, coming off top-of-the-line seasons of his life. Aaron Judge continues to be on the market, too. He’s the star of stars this time, hitting the market after hitting 62 homers and producing offensive numbers that evoked the reminiscences of each Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle at Yankee Stadium.
Four nice shortstops — Xander Bogaerts, Carlos Correa, Dansby Swanson and Trea Turner — will nonetheless be very a lot out there when the game arrives in San Diego and issues formally start on Sunday with the primary Winter Meetings since 2019. Of these shortstops, all of whom have been on World Series winners in simply the previous 5 years, solely Bogaerts is over 30, and he didn’t do it till October.
Carlos Rodón, a star pitcher who’s 5 years youthful than deGrom and 10 years youthful than Verlander, can be a free agent this time round, and would possibly make extra business sense and even baseball sense to a workforce searching for an ace than both deGrom or Verlander.
We’ve been speaking about Judge and his personal free company for months. But now it’s one other New York City star, deGrom, who makes the primary headline of the baseball offseason with this type of contract in Texas, even supposing he began simply 12 video games for the Mets this yr as he spent the primary 4 months of the season recovering from shoulder woes.
deGrom had himself an important Friday night time. But so did Judge, and so did Verlander, and so did the shortstops. Say it once more: There have been stars hitting free company earlier than, however maybe not this many, from No. 2 (Bogaerts) all the best way to No. 99, which implies Judge, after all.
The Rangers set the market on Friday night time. Now all of us wait to see who’s subsequent. And the place. And for the way a lot.
We know what deGrom seems to be like at his greatest, when he can throw his fastball at 100 mph with virtually ridiculous ease. We noticed what he might do when he was at his greatest for the Mets, particularly in these two Cy Young seasons of 2018 and ’19. Now the Rangers place an enormous wager on him staying wholesome, and pitching for them the best way he pitched for the Mets. deGrom’s season didn’t start till late July this previous yr. He then ended up profitable 5 video games out of the Mets’ 101. He additionally received them their solely postseason sport, Game 2 of their Wild Card Series in opposition to the Padres.
The Mets reportedly supplied deGrom $120 million over three years to remain. The Rangers went to 5 years, with the potential of a sixth. Now the highlight turns to Verlander, even when he does flip 40 in February. Verlander went out and pitched on the age of 39 the best way the Rangers hope deGrom continues to be pitching for them when he will get to that age, profitable a Cy Young and a World Series ring with Houston.
With deGrom off the board, the bidding for Verlander might get much more intense, with the Astros, Dodgers, Mets and probably even the Yankees all concerned.
Christmas got here early for Jacob deGrom. It’s going to only hold coming in baseball for Verlander, Rodón, the 4 huge shortstops and others. You know what Friday night time actually felt like? Opening Day, simply in December.
