NL East

Jacob deGrom is arguably the best pitcher in baseball, and he's aiming to be paid as such on his next deal.

The New York Mets ace is expected to opt out of his $30.5 million player option for the 2023 campaign and is believed to be eyeing a deal worth $50 million per year on his next contract, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

DeGrom signed a five-year, $137.5 million extension with the Mets in March 2019 and has been insistent on declining his 2023 player option. However, he said in March that he "loves" being a Met and would be interested in staying with the club for his entire career.

Jacob deGrom says "the plan" will be to opt out of his contract after the season, but he wants to be in constant contact with the Mets about returning:

"I love being a Met, it would be really cool to be one for my entire career." pic.twitter.com/yV1lGNsAiu

— SNY (@SNYtv) March 14, 2022

In an interview with Zach Braziller of the New York Post ahead of Saturday's 3-0 win over the Colorado Rockies, Mets owner Steven Cohen said the organization plans to do whatever is necessary to keep deGrom in Queens for years to come.

"Listen, he certainly has the right to do that. We love Jacob, and I think he's the best pitcher in baseball," Cohen said. "We'll do whatever we can to make sure he stays. But it's his decision, not ours."

Cohen also told Braziller that while the organization hasn't had talks with deGrom yet on a new contract, they plan on making a serious offer to bring him back for 2023 and beyond.

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it, all right," Cohen said. "Right now, we're trying to win our division, and we're going to sit down with Jake and try to figure it out at the end of the season."

DeGrom missed the first four months of the 2022 campaign recovering from a shoulder injury, but he has dominated since returning, posting a 4-1 record, 1.98 ERA, 0.55 WHIP and 55 strikeouts in 36.1 innings across six starts.

It's a continuation of what has been a legendary career for the 34-year-old, who has won Rookie of the Year, two Cy Young awards, an ERA title and been named an All-Star four times.

DeGrom has been a staple in the Mets rotation since making his debut in 2014 and is the anchor of a group that also includes Max Scherzer, Chris Bassitt, Carlos Carrasco and Taijuan Walker.

The Mets are first in the NL East with an 84-48 record and are primed to make a deep playoff run that they hope will end with their first World Series title since 1986. If deGrom can help the franchise accomplish the feat, it will likely have no hesitation in paying the ace what he wants.

San Diego Padres outfielder Juan Soto is out for Tuesday's game against the Cleveland Guardians because of left-mid back tightness, the team told reporters.

Soto was acquired by San Diego at the 2022 MLB trade deadline in a blockbuster deal with the Washington Nationals. The Padres also landed veteran first baseman Josh Bell and sent a substantial haul of prospects to Washington to complete the deal.

The runner-up for National League MVP in 2021, Soto has put together a solid season after a slow start. The 23-year-old is batting .252 with 23 home runs and 50 RBI overall this season, recording a .286 batting average in 18 games with San Diego.

Soto is one of the brightest young stars in MLB. He hasn't hit under .280 in any of his previous four seasons in the majors. He was also a key member of Washington's 2019 World Series win after posting 34 homers while driving in 110 runs.

After landing with the Padres, Soto is now part of a "Big 3" alongside star third baseman Manny Machado and shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. However, Tatis was suspended for 80 games last week after violating MLB's performance-enhancing drug policy.

While Soto is out, utility outfielder Wil Myers will see more time in the lineup. At 68-56, San Diego is mathematically tied with the Philadelphia Phillies (67-55) for the second Wild Card spot in the NL entering Tuesday. The Padres are hoping to have Soto back soon to keep pace in the playoff hunt.

More details emerged Friday regarding the arrest of Atlanta Braves outfielder Marcell Ozuna after the release of body camera footage from the arresting officers.

According to Fox 5 in Atlanta, Ozuna was arrested early Friday morning on charges of driving under the influence and failure to maintain lane in Norcross, Georgia. Ozuna was booked and later released from jail.

Footage of the arrest shows Ozuna saying, "Sorry, sorry, I'm Ozuna from the Braves." He told police he had consumed "three or four" beers.

Ozuna partook in field sobriety tests but refused to take a Breathalyzer test before being arrested.

The 31-year-old was in the Braves clubhouse prior to their game against the Houston Astros on Friday and issued a statement:

Marcell Ozuna’s statement. He did not take questions pic.twitter.com/I6MyVpZhfC

— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) August 19, 2022

Aside from stating it was a legal matter, he would only say that he disappointed his team and family.

Last year, Ozuna was arrested in May after police said they saw him grab his wife, Genesis, by the neck and throw her against a wall, as well as strike her. He was charged with felony aggravated assault by strangulation, but the charges were later reduced to battery and simple assault.

He was placed on administrative leave after the arrest and didn't play for the remainder of the 2021 season. In November, Major League Baseball suspended him retroactively for 20 games.

He returned to the team this year and has spent much of the season as a starter, but he hasn't played since Sunday. In 107 games, Ozuna is slashing just .214/.263/.393 with 20 home runs and 46 RBI.

It is a far cry from the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign, which saw him hit .338 with a National League-leading 18 homers and 56 RBI en route to finishing sixth in the NL MVP voting and winning his second career Silver Slugger Award.

Ozuna was a two-time All-Star in five seasons with the Miami Marlins (2013-17) before spending two seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals and then signing with the Braves.

Given Ozuna's struggles at the plate and now his arrest, it is likely the Braves will use some combination of Ronald Acuña Jr., Michael Harris II, Eddie Rosario, Robbie Grossman and Vaughn Grissom in the outfield and at designated hitter for the foreseeable future.

Atlanta Braves outfielder Marcell Ozuna was arrested early Friday morning on a DUI charge.

Per Jennifer Lifsey of CBS 46 in Atlanta, Ozuna was booked into Gwinnett County Jail at 4:39 a.m. local time after Norcross Police arrested him on charges of DUI and failure to maintain lane.

The Braves said in a statement they are "aware of Marcell Ozuna's arrest" and are "still gathering all the facts pertaining to the incident."

Statement from the #Braves on Marcell Ozuna’s arrest. #FortheA pic.twitter.com/tbiYKvApLA

— Alison Mastrangelo (@AlisonWSB) August 19, 2022

This marks the second time in 15 months that Ozuna has been arrested. He was charged with aggravated assault by strangulation and battery against his then-wife after being taken into custody by the Sandy Springs Police Department.

In their official report, Sandy Springs police noted they witnessed Ozuna "grabbing the victim by the neck and throwing her against a wall" upon entering the residence.

Police video obtained by TMZ Sports in December showed Ozuna with his hand "aggressively wrapped around his wife's neck" moments before he was arrested.

Per the booking report obtained by TMZ, cops said Ozuna's wife told them he threatened to kill her during a dispute "over an infidelity."

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis declined to bring felony charges against Ozuna. He was instead charged with battery and simple assault, both misdemeanors.

In September, Ozuna agreed to enter a diversion program in order to get the charges dropped if he adhered to the conditions of a negotiated settlement and successfully completed the program.

The charges against Ozuna were dropped by prosecutors in April. He was retroactively suspended 20 games without pay by Major League Baseball in November for violating the joint domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy.

Ozuna has appeared in 107 games for the Braves this season. The 31-year-old is in his third season with the team after previously playing for the Miami Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals.

The Atlanta Braves are reportedly looking to keep Dansby Swanson in the fold.

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the National League East team has "opened extension talks" with the shortstop ahead of his potential free agency this offseason.

While Heyman noted Swanson is represented by the same agency as Freddie Freeman, who was unable to come to terms on a deal with the Braves, he noted "there's been less whispered negativity about these talks."

Swanson re-signing with the Braves would be a blow to teams who will be looking for shortstops this offseason. The possibility exists that Carlos Correa, Trea Turner, Xander Bogaerts and Swanson are all free agents after the 2022 campaign, which would provide plenty of choices on the market and perhaps impact the players' leverage.

Yet the Braves may remove one of those names from the list as discussions begin.

It comes as no surprise that Atlanta would want to keep Swanson. After all, he is in the middle of his prime at 28 years old and made the first All-Star Game of his career this season after helping lead the team to a championship in 2021.

Swanson is slashing .292/.348/.455 with 16 home runs and 65 RBI this season after hitting a career-best 27 long balls last year.

The shortstop also hit two home runs during the World Series win over the Houston Astros, proving he can deliver in clutch moments. He may have more opportunities to do just that considering the Braves are in a wild-card position in the National League.

That would only help his leverage in any contract discussions.

On Tuesday night, the Atlanta Braves continued paving their path to another dynasty, signing rookie center fielder Michael Harris II to an eight-year, $72 million extension that will keep him in Georgia through at least 2030.

But what else is new? Atlanta seems to have cracked some sort of secret code with its repeated ability to cultivate home-grown talent into young Major League stars who agree to long-term deals at great-for-the-player, not-that-risky-for-the-team price points.

And for Harris, goodness gracious, what a ride this has been. It hasn't even been three months since he was called up from Double-A Mississippi to replace an unproductive Travis Demeritte, and now he is a very rich young man who ranks among the top candidates for both NL Rookie of the Year and a Gold Glove.

If he continues to live up to the hype, there are also club options for 2031 and 2032, which could turn this into a 10-year, $102 million deal—after which Harris will still only be 32 years old and could end up signing another substantial contract.

You think center fielder Michael Harris hasn't had a huge impact on Atlanta since his call-up? They are 50-21 since his arrival, averaging 5.3 runs a game with a .802 OPS compared to 4.2 runs a game and .702 OPS before, per @SportsInfo_SIS. Yes, Atlanta was wise locking him up.

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) August 17, 2022

But "For the A," here we go again with general manager Alex Anthopoulos locking up another young star on a long-term, team-friendly deal.

Not even one month removed from the Washington Nationals trading away Juan Soto because they couldn't possibly afford to sign the 23-year-old to a contract that adequately reflects his market value, their NL East counterpart has now added Harris to what was already a ridiculously loaded lineup for years to come.

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Get Used To This Nucleus in Atlanta

Atlanta signed Austin Riley to a 10-year, $212 million extension earlier this month that could keep him in a Braves uniform through 2033. They also signed Matt Olson to an eight-year, $168 million deal before the season began, so he'll be a staple in the heart of Atlanta's order through at least 2029.

The Braves already committed highway robbery in April 2019 when they signed Ozzie Albies to a seven-year, $35 million deal (with club options for an eighth and ninth season) and Ronald Acuña Jr. to an eight-year, $100 million contract (with club options for a ninth and 10th season).

And we mentioned these are team-friendly deals, right?

Even with Riley and Olson both coming at an "already reached arbitration eligibility before signing the deal" premium, Atlanta has a five-man nucleus of Riley, Olson, Acuña, Albies and Harris for the exceptionally reasonable price of $65 million next season, $72 million in 2024 and $76 million in each of 2025 and 2026.

(Meanwhile, the New York Mets will be paying $110.33 million just for Max Scherzer, Francisco Lindor, Starling Marte and James McCann for each of the next two seasons.)

But wait.

There's more.

Though they haven't signed any of these guys to long-term contracts yet, starting pitchers Kyle Wright and Ian Anderson are under team control through 2026, and starting pitcher Spencer Strider and catcher/designated hitter William Contreras are arbitration-eligible through 2027. Recently promoted Vaughn Grissom won't hit free agency until after the 2028 campaign.

Atlanta could do quite literally nothing other than agreeing to one-year arbitration deals with a handful of guys over the next 43 months and still have a 2026 Opening Day lineup that begins as follows:

1. Acuña, RF
2. Albies, 2B
3. Olson, 1B
4. Riley, 3B
5. Contreras, C
6. Harris, CF
7. Grissom, SS

They got to find a left fielder at some point, but that lineup plus a starting rotation of Wright, Anderson, Strider and some combination of the top remaining prospects in their farm system (Kyle Muller, Jared Shuster, Bryce Elder and Freddy Tarnok) will certainly do.

Again, that's if they do nothing to retain guys who are scheduled to hit free agency before 2026. With all the money they're saving on the long-term deals they already have, they could re-sign the likes of Dansby Swanson* (hitting free agency this offseason) and/or starting pitchers Max Fried and Mike Soroka (both arbitration-eligible through 2024).

*If Grissom plays well the rest of the way, my guess is Atlanta won't re-sign Swanson, who is having himself one hell of a contract year with a team-leading bWAR of 4.7. But it could surely afford to do so, if it so chooses.

And, to reiterate, we're talking about four years into the future for what is already the defending World Series champion, the four-time reigning NL East champion and the hottest team in baseball since Memorial Day.

If that's not a dynasty in the making, what is?

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'90s Braves Part II

If the Braves run a freight train through the NL East for the foreseeable future, it wouldn't be the first time.

They won the division in 11 consecutive seasons from 1995-2005, most of them in blowout fashion. Save for 1995, they had some miserable luck in the postseason, but it was a more-than-decade-long stretch of regular-season dominance unlikely to ever be repeated.

But if they can close the current 3.5-game gap and overtake the Mets for this year's divisional crown, who will stop them from letting those good times roll once more?

The Nationals are a dumpster fire that probably won't even flirt with a .500 record in the next three years (he typed, fighting back tears, in his curly "W" cap).

The Marlins have literally never won the division and have not had a winning record in a 162-game season since 2009.

The Phillies haven't made the playoffs in 10 years, have little worth mentioning in their farm system and are spending an awful lot of money each year on Bryce Harper, J.T. Realmuto, Zack Wheeler, Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos, each of whom is already at least 29 years old. (It's like a bizarro version of Olson, Riley, Acuña, Albies and Harris in which they are aging and more expensive.)

Philly could win the division, but it's only going to get tougher with each passing year of its pricy nucleus getting older and Atlanta's stars only now approaching their prime.

It really should be Atlanta vs. New York until further notice.

And while the Mets have been excellent this season, they are going to lose both Edwin Diaz (free agent) and Jacob deGrom (player option) this offseason unless they pony up a lot more money to keep them around.

Steve Cohen does love to spend on big-name free agents, and New York has a great farm system highlighted by catcher Francisco Álvarez, so the Mets ought to be a playoff team more often than not for years to come.

But Atlanta's ability to lock down its top talent for a reasonable price at a young age certainly bodes well.

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So...Why Aren't More Teams Doing This?

The pre-arbitration, long-term extension is a calculated risk that used to be primarily a "small-market team trying to stay competitive" practice.

The Tampa Bay Rays were the early kings of what has become a rapidly growing trend, even in larger markets.

Evan Longoria hadn't even been in the majors for a week before he signed a six-year, $17.5 million contract in April 2008. Matt Moore had pitched 9.1 innings in his MLB career when the Rays inked him to a five-year, $14 million deal in December 2011.

They gave Chris Archer a full season in the bigs before locking him up, but the six-year, $25.5 million deal that he signed in April 2014 still worked out quite well for Tampa Bay—they traded him to Pittsburgh for Tyler Glasnow, Austin Meadows and Shane Baz right when he started getting more expensive and less productive.

They also currently have Brandon Lowe on a six-year, $24 million deal. And though it was a much larger commitment than the others, the 11-year, $182 million contract that Wander Franco signed with Tampa Bay last November might end up being quite the bargain.

Those savvy moves have enabled the low-budget Rays to contend with the deep pockets of New York and Boston on a near-annual basis over the past 14 years.

It's not just the Rays, either.

Toronto has gotten solid value out of its seven-year, $22 million deal with Lourdes Gurriel Jr. Milwaukee got Ryan Braun on an eight-year, $45 million deal after he won the 2007 NL ROY. (They also recently signed Aaron Ashby to a five-year, $20.5 million extension.)

Miami signed Christian Yelich to a seven-year, $49.6 million in March 2015 after his second season in the big leagues. And who can forget Kansas City getting Salvador Perez on a preposterous five-year, $7 million deal for 2012-16, during which time he was a four-time All-Star and Gold Glove Award winner with a 16.0 bWAR and a 2015 World Series MVP?

Oh, and the White Sox. Thanks to pre-arbitration extensions with Yoán Moncada (five years, $70 million), Luis Robert (six years, $50 million), Eloy Jiménez (six years, $43 million), Aaron Bummer (five years, $16 million) and especially Tim Anderson (six years, $25 million), Chicago was supposed to be one of the top teams in the American League this season and should enter next season as one of the biggest threats to reach the World Series once again.

There is, of course, some risk in making a long-term commitment to a player who has little to no MLB experience, as they haven't all been home runs.

Philadelphia's six-year, $24 million deal with Scott Kingery has been a colossal waste of money over the past three years, and they still owe him another $8 million in 2023, plus a buyout of the club options for 2024-26.

The Cubs gave David Bote a five-year, $15 million extension in early 2019, but he has provided absolutely no return on that investment.

Houston signed Jon Singleton to a five-year, $10 million deal before he ever played a game, and he finished his 114-game career with a negative-0.9 bWAR.

And that risk is rapidly increasing as the average salary on some of these pre-arbitration extensions has crept into the $20-$25 million range. At any rate, there sure are a lot of people these days wondering if San Diego's 14-year, $340 million deal with Fernando Tatis Jr. was a mistake.

For the most part, though, the risk has been well worth the reward, and Atlanta is clearly reaping the benefits of this long-term approach to roster development.

Despite letting Freddie Freeman and others walk after winning the 2021 World Series, the Braves currently have the fifth-best World Series odds per DraftKings (+1000) this October. And barring a rash of devastating injuries, they already feel like a lock to open each of the next five seasons as one of the top-five threats to win it all.

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All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference. All contract info courtesy of Spotrac.

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The Atlanta Braves announced Tuesday they reached an agreement with Rookie of the Year contender Michael Harris II on an eight-year, $72 million contract extension.

Harris' new deal also includes a pair of club options, which could turn it into a 10-year, $102 million pact that runs through the 2032 MLB season.

The 21-year-old outfielder has compiled a .287/.325/.500 slash line with 12 home runs and 13 stolen bases in 71 appearances during his debut campaign.

Harris arrived to the majors on May 28, when the reigning World Series champions owned a 22-25 record and sat 8.5 games behind the New York Mets in the NL East standings.

The Braves have compiled a 50-21 mark since that point and have moved within 3.5 games of the Mets after winning the first two games of an ongoing head-to-head series.

Harris, a native of Georgia's DeKalb County, endeared himself to Braves Country in recent years by either watching the team's playoff games in full uniform or attending them as a fan:

WE in this TOGETHER!! LETSSS GOOOO!! #MixItUp @Braves pic.twitter.com/kqrMZwnIRf

— Michael Harris II〽️ (@MoneyyyMikeee) October 19, 2020

LETTSSSS GOOOOO!!!!! MVP! MVP!#BeatLA pic.twitter.com/hvtJYmY74y

— Michael Harris II〽️ (@MoneyyyMikeee) October 17, 2021

Now he's a major part of Atlanta's effort to capture a second straight World Series title.

His extension is the latest in a recent trend of the Braves rewarding young stars early in their careers in order to buy out a couple of free-agent seasons.

Atlanta signed outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. to an eight-year, $100 million extension in 2019 before his second season in the majors and inked second baseman Ozzie Albies to a seven-year, $35 million deal early in his third MLB campaign, also in 2019.

The Braves waited a little longer on third baseman Austin Riley, who's in the midst of his fourth season, and it cost them as he landed a 10-year, $212 million contract after emerging as an MVP candidate.

In all, a large portion of the club's core is now under team control for an extended period:

How to keep a core together, by the @Braves.

- Austin Riley, through 2032
- Matt Olson, 2030
- Michael Harris II, 2030
- Ronald Acuña Jr., 2028
- Vaughn Grissom, 2028
- Ozzie Albies, 2027
- Spencer Strider, 2027
- William Contreras, 2027
- Kyle Wright, 2026
- Max Fried, 2024

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 17, 2022

While the early extensions come with risk if players don't live up to their potential, so far it's worked for Atlanta as the club attempts to keep its championship window open without trying to outbid the big-spending Mets or Los Angeles Dodgers in free agency.

Harris and the Braves, who are riding an eight-game winning streak, will look to stay hot with two games left in a crucial series against the Mets.

The outfielder will likely receive a strong ovation at Truist Park on Wednesday night in his first game since signing the new contract.

The Philadelphia Phillies made history in Tuesday's win over the Cincinnati Reds, becoming the ninth MLB team ever to record 10,000 all-time wins.

No. 10,000 in the W column!#RingTheBell pic.twitter.com/DVm3pAqZG0

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) August 17, 2022

The Phillies achieved the momentous victory in grand fashion, defeating the Reds 11-4. Rhys Hoskins led the way with two home runs and five RBI. Nick Castellanos and Garrett Stubs also launched homers for Philadelphia.

With the win, the Phillies improved to 65-51 and maintained a 1.5-game lead for the second wild card spot in the National League. Philadelphia will look to complete a three-game sweep of Cincinnati on Wednesday.

Mets starting pitcher Taijuan Walker left Tuesday's game against the Atlanta Braves in the second inning with back spasms.

Here is the final pitch and play Taijuan Walker participated in before departing tonight. pic.twitter.com/yK1antHnUg

— SNY (@SNYtv) August 17, 2022

The Mets say Taijuan Walker exited tonight’s game with back spasms.

— Steve Gelbs (@SteveGelbs) August 17, 2022

He was the second straight Mets starter to leave a game early, after Carlos Carrasco left two innings into Monday's contest with an oblique injury that landed him on the 15-day Injured List.

Over the last 48 hours the #Mets have seen injuries to Luis Guillorme, Carlos Carrasco, and Taijuan Walker while Eduardo Escobar remains hampered by a side issue.

Brutal stretch here.

— Joe Pantorno (@JoePantorno) August 17, 2022

All things considered, though, the Mets will likely feel relieved that Walker isn't dealing with anything more serious than back spasms.

The 30-year-old has had a strong season, coming into Tuesday's start with a 10-3 record and a 3.43 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 85 strikeouts in 110.1 innings. He's been an important figure in the team's rotation as the Mets—who came into Tuesday with a 75-41 record, 4.5 games ahead of the Atlanta Braves—look to win a title.

But injuries have become a concern. The Mets even called up much-hyped third base prospect Brett Baty with Luis Guillorme injured and Eduardo Escobar's issues with left oblique tightness.

That will give Mets fans something to be excited about amidst the injuries. Between Double-A and Triple-A this season, the 22-year-old is hitting .315 with 19 home runs and 60 RBI.

Baty won't help ease any rotation issues if Walker is forced to the IL, of course. The hope will be that the team can tread water there, with players like David Peterson and Trevor Williams earning more starts. Add in Jacob deGrom's return to action earlier this month, and the Mets have options.

Still, Walker avoiding the IL altogether would be a major plus.

New York Mets pitcher Carlos Carrasco is expected to miss three to four weeks after suffering a low-grade left oblique strain.

The right-hander was forced to leave Monday's start against the Atlanta Braves after two innings, allowing three runs on four hits before exiting. His start was interrupted by a long rain delay in the second inning.

"It just got tight a little bit and I don't want to push more," Carrasco told reporters after the game.

In 23 starts this season, Carrasco is 13-5 with a 3.92 ERA and 1.30 WHIP.

It's been a bounce-back season for the 35-year-old, who had a 6.04 ERA across 12 starts in his first year with the Mets. New York acquired him in the 2021 trade with Cleveland that landed Francisco Lindor, although injuries have been a major story for the veteran pitcher.

Carrasco's 126.1 innings pitched in 2022 are his most since 2018, although the latest issue will keep him out into September.

It could represent a significant loss for the Mets as they try to secure their first playoff appearance since 2016. They entered Tuesday with a 4.5-game lead over the Braves in the NL East with three more games against their division rival this week.

The Mets have depth in the rotation, which is led by Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom. David Peterson would be a logical replacement for Carrasco with his 3.30 ERA in 18 appearances this season (14 starts), although he was optioned to Triple-A earlier this month.

Trevor Williams has also made eight starts this season and could fill in again if needed.