Rangers Ace Jacob deGrom Talks Mets Departure

Jacob deGrom sat down with the New York Post to talk about his decision to leave the Mets and sign with the Rangers.

Texas Rangers pitcher Jacob deGrom thought at one point he’d return to the New York Mets, according to his interview with the New York Post on Sunday in Surprise.

deGrom spent his entire Major League career with the Mets before signing a five-year, $185 million deal in the offseason with the Rangers, the largest contract the organization has ever awarded a pitcher.

To some degree, money did talk. The Post reported the Rangers’ bid was more than double what the Mets were reportedly offering. But before the offseason hit, deGrom still felt the Mets were an option.

“You look at places you can see yourself playing. All I had known was New York, and part of me thought I’d be back,” deGrom said.

deGrom also told the Post that his last contract with the Mets, which some considered under-market for a two-time Cy Young Award winner, didn’t annoy him. And he remains in contact with many people he met and became friends with in New York City.

“We still keep in touch with a lot of people,” deGrom said. “That was all I knew for 13 years, including eight seasons in the big leagues. The fans and everyone were always great to me. It was never like 100 percent I’m leaving here.”

deGrom reported to Surprise on Feb. 14 and told the Rangers that he was experiencing left side tightness. From there the Rangers decided to let deGrom rest for a few days.

After taking some rest, deGrom began long tossing sessions, designed to ramp him up to a bullpen sessions. He’s maintained throughout the process that if this was the regular season he would be pitching. He also said the rest quickly resolved the left side tightness.

deGrom has also pitched truncated seasons each of the last three seasons, though the 2020 season was short due to COVID-19.

deGrom missed half of the 2021 season due to right elbow inflammation. He missed the first half of last season with a stress reaction in his right scapula.

Last year he went 5-4 with a 3.08 ERA in 11 starts with the Mets. In 2021 he went 7-2 with a 1.08 ERA, earned an All-Star Game berth and was ninth in Cy Young voting despite the injury.

Before that, deGrom was highly durable. He made 30 or more starts in four of his first six seasons in the Majors, with his 2018 and 2019 seasons both leading to National League Cy Young awards. In 2018 he led the Majors with a 1.70 ERA, followed by a 2.43 ERA in 2019.

---

You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard

Catch up with Inside the Rangers on Facebook and Twitter.

Need to catch up on the Rangers? Check out our Texas Rangers Offseason Central Page!

Need to get ready for Spring Training? Check out our Rangers Spring Training Tracker