Jacob DeGrom Leaves the New York Mets for the Texas Rangers

As a Mets fan, I’m terribly disappointed at Jacob deGrom’s signing a five-year, $185 million contract with the Texas Rangers. It seems that deGrom, who grew up in Florida, just wanted to get out of New York and didn’t want to wait for his retirement from baseball to do it. At least from public reports, he appears not to have given the Mets the opportunity to match the offer. The Mets’ championship window in a ferociously competitive division might remain open if they can sign some replacements for the rotation — ironically, their chief target may be Justin Verlander, who will be 40 next year and has missed almost the entirety of 2020 and 2021. But deGrom’s departure calls that all into question.

For a fan, this stings — Mets fans have always been good to deGrom — but it’s his life. Our the bitterness will fade over time and we’ll remember fondly his nine amazin’ years in a Mets uniform. What is more depressing is that the blow to the Mets is not even matched by a corresponding gain for the Rangers. They are at least as likely as not to regret this contract. DeGrom is worth $185 million to the Mets; he is not worth that to the Rangers. First, of course, a homegrown star will always be more beloved than a guy purchased on the market in mid career. Had deGrom struggled over the next few years at Citi Field, Mets fans would have recalled the good years; he will have no such goodwill to fall back on in Texas. These may seem sentimental things, but sentiment is the foundation on which the business of baseball is built.

About the Author

Dan McLaughlin

Dan McLaughlin is a senior writer at National Review Online and a fellow at National Review Institute.

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As a Mets fan, I’m terribly disappointed at Jacob deGrom’s signing a five-year, $185 million contract with the Texas Rangers. It seems that deGrom, who grew up in Florida, just wanted to get out of New York and didn’t want to wait for his retirement from baseball to do it. At least from public reports, he appears not to have given the Mets the opportunity to match the offer. The Mets’ championship window in a ferociously competitive division might remain open if they can sign some replacements for the rotation — ironically, their chief target may be Justin Verlander, who will be 40 next year and has missed almost the entirety of 2020 and 2021. But deGrom’s departure calls that all into question.

For a fan, this stings — Mets fans have always been good to deGrom — but it’s his life. Our the bitterness will fade over time and we’ll remember fondly his nine amazin’ years in a Mets uniform. What is more depressing is that the blow to the Mets is not even matched by a corresponding gain for the Rangers. They are at least as likely as not to regret this contract. DeGrom is worth $185 million to the Mets; he is not worth that to the Rangers. First, of course, a homegrown star will always be more beloved than a guy purchased on the market in mid career. Had deGrom struggled over the next few years at Citi Field, Mets fans would have recalled the good years; he will have no such goodwill to fall back on in Texas. These may seem sentimental things, but sentiment is the foundation on which the business of baseball is built.