Jacob deGrom switched agents this offseason, suggesting he is getting an early jump on another possible contract negotiation.
The star right-hander was drafted and developed by the Mets and has won two Cy Young awards with them, so it’s hard to envision him finishing his career anywhere but in Queens. And there also is a “cool” factor to retiring as a Met for deGrom, who was asked Friday about the possibility he will play the remainder of his career for the team.
DeGrom’s five-year deal with the club for $137.5 million includes a player opt-out after the 2022 season.
“I have definitely enjoyed my time here and signed long-term here,” deGrom said at spring training in Port St. Lucie, Fla. “I haven’t really thought too much about the opt-out. The goal is to go out there and perform and then when that time comes make that decision.
“One thing I think that is really cool is whenever somebody spends their entire career with one team. You don’t see it happen a whole lot anymore, so it’s definitely something I have thought about and I guess we just have to see when that time comes.”
DeGrom, 32, will earn $35.5 million in each of the next two seasons. But a new bar was set by Trevor Bauer, who for the next two seasons will receive $40 million and $45 million, respectively from the Dodgers. Bauer, who won last year’s NL Cy Young award with the Reds, was the top starting pitcher on the free-agent market.
The Mets’ offer to Bauer was in the same neighborhood, but deGrom said he wasn’t bothered by the prospect of becoming No. 2 in paycheck within the rotation.
“[Bauer] waited until free agency and that is what happens,” deGrom said. “I signed a deal before free agency. That would be a discussion to have with my agency, but I am happy to be here. I signed the deal and really haven’t looked back.”
Previously represented by CAA, deGrom this offseason hired VC Sports group as his new agents. DeGrom’s onetime agent with CAA, Brodie Van Wagenen, spent the past two seasons as Mets general manager. Jeff Berry was deGrom’s agent the last two years.
“I enjoyed my time with CAA, but I felt like it was time for me to move and sat down with those guys over at my new agency,” deGrom said. “I really enjoyed what they had to say and just felt like it was a move I needed to make.”
If deGrom doesn’t opt out, his contract with the Mets runs through 2023 with a club option for the following season. David Wright retired as a Met after playing his entire career with the organization, and de Grom said that had an impact on him.
“Seeing how much, how well he was treated by Mets fans and being a Met for life was definitely cool and special,” deGrom said. “Being there for the last time he took the field, that was really cool. That definitely weighs on your mind, but that is a decision that will be made when the time comes.”
After missing on Bauer, the Mets reached an agreement Friday with free-agent Taijuan Walker. It leaves the Mets with a rotation behind deGrom that includes Carlos Carrasco, Marcus Stroman and David Peterson or Joey Lucchesi, in addition to Walker.
But it’s also not the dream rotation of sorts the Mets would have had if they landed Bauer. Last year, deGrom finished third in the Cy Young race (behind Bauer and Yu Darvish) after going 4-2 with a 2.38 ERA and 0.956 WHIP.
“Honestly, I didn’t keep up with [the Bauer talk] too much,” deGrom said. “Anybody we could add to help was definitely going to be a plus.
“I don’t think there has ever been a full season where you go through a full season with five pitchers, so any depth and a caliber of pitcher like that definitely would have been a plus, but he decided to go to L.A. and that was his choice, and that is part of going to free agency. He definitely would have been a help here, but we got who we have and I think we have got a pretty good starting rotation.”
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