When Jacob deGrom is on the mound, he's one of the most dominant pitchers that the sport has ever seen.
The production from deGrom over his last 26 starts is staggering: 1.90 ERA, 1.60 FIP, 0.633 WHIP and 7.1 WAR, per FanGraphs.
There's a catch, though: Those 26 starts have come over the course of two full seasons. By comparison, Max Scherzer -- despite missing more than six weeks with an oblique injury in 2022 -- has made 53 starts over the past two seasons.
Scherzer is perhaps the most relevant comp for deGrom. Beyond the fact that they were teammates in 2022 on the New York Mets, Scherzer signed a three-year/$130 million deal last offseason that deGrom may very well seek to top this offseason. In fact, MLB Trade Rumors has projected that deGrom will sign a three-year/$135 million deal this offseason.
If deGrom was consistently healthy, the two-time National League Cy Young Award winner would likely be looking at getting an even longer deal. But deGrom will turn 35 during the 2023 season, and pitchers don't typically become more durable as they age.
With all of the qualifiers, here are five potential landing spots for deGrom:
New York Mets
Will Jacob deGrom return to the New York Mets?
(Elsa/Getty Images)
Last offseason, we ranked deGrom as the fifth-greatest player in Mets history. If deGrom -- a ninth-round pick in 2010 -- returns to the Mets and stays healthy for a few more seasons, he has a chance to climb up even higher on that list. It's difficult to know how much spending his entire career in Queens would mean to deGrom. He saw how much Steve Cohen and company were willing to pay Max Scherzer last offseason. If the Mets aren't willing to give him at least a penny more than that, there may very well be some hurt feelings in the former NL Rookie of the Year's camp.
Texas Rangers
Could the Texas Rangers sign Jacob deGrom?
(Robert Edwards/USA Today)
The Rangers haven't been able to lure Clayton Kershaw away from the Los Angeles Dodgers, but perhaps they'll have more success in wooing another multiple-time NL Cy Young Award winner. An offseason after spending a combined $500 million on Corey Seager and Marcus Semien, Chris Young, the Rangers are desperate for frontline pitching. Even if they got a healthy deGrom in front of Martín Pérez and Jon Gray, that probably wouldn't be enough to dethrone the Houston Astros in the American League West. But it would be a start for a team that hasn't played in the postseason since 2016.
Los Angeles Dodgers
Could the Los Angeles Dodger sign Jacob deGrom?
(Jasen Vinlove/USA Today)
We've reached the "You never know" portion of this discussion. Andrew Friedman and the Dodgers love Hall of Fame-caliber players, especially when they don't have to make a 10-year commitment to them. When the Atlanta Braves didn't meet Freddie Freeman's asking price last offseason, the Dodgers swooped in. With Walker Buehler set to miss the entirety of the 2023 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery and the possibility of losing Tyler Anderson in free agency, the Dodgers are at least worth mentioning. If things go south between deGrom and the Mets, joining the Dodgers -- already the NL World Series favorites -- would give him a chance to stick it to his former employer.
Tampa Bay Rays
Could the Tampa Bay Rays sign Jacob deGrom?
(Dale Zanine/USA Today)
This is a bit of a shot in the dark. However, multiple reporters have suggested that deGrom wouldn't mind pitching closer to his hometown of DeLand Florida. We're going to bet the Miami Marlins aren't going to make a push for deGrom, and the Atlanta Braves have already signaled they don't plan to do so. Will the Rays? Probably not. But as Freddie Freeman lingered on the free-agent market last winter, the Rays became serious players for his services. Erik Neander and company also haven't shied away from signing pitchers well into their 30s with injury questions in recent years, such as Charlie Morton and Corey Kluber. Again, don't bank on deGrom being a Ray. But in the event it happens, please give us all the credit.
San Francisco Giants
Could the San Francisco Giants sign Jacob deGrom?
(Elsa/Getty Images)
Carlos Rodón is a free agent, and while he should probably be the No. 1 option that Farhan Zaidi and the Giants consider this winter, he has an injury history of his own. Will the Giants, an offseason after letting Kevin Gausman leave for a lesser deal, be willing to meet the five-year/$140 million deal MLB Trade Rumors has projected Rodón will receive? If they would prefer to make a shorter-term commitment, deGrom and Justin Verlander both become intriguing veteran options to pair at the top of the rotation with Logan Webb. San Francisco has fallen behind in terms of star power in comparison to NL West rivals in Los Angeles and San Diego. Adding deGrom would help them to close that gap and perhaps return to the postseason after a disappointing 2022 season.
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