MLB

The New York Mets are going to need a new ace.

Star pitcher Jacob deGrom has agreed to a five-year deal with the Texas Rangers, the club announced Friday. The deal is worth $185 million and has a sixth-year option that could make it worth $222 million in total, per ESPN's Jeff Passan.

The Mets never made a final offer to deGrom, per Mike Puma of the New York Post.

DeGrom, in search of a more lucrative deal, became a free agent this winter after opting out of the final two years and $53 million on his five-year contract with the Mets. He had spent the first nine years of his career in New York, emerging as one of the best arms in baseball despite a string of injuries.

In his nine seasons with the Mets, the two-time Cy Young winner and four-time All-Star went 82-57 with a 2.52 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 1,607 strikeouts in 1,326 innings across 209 starts.

DeGrom's best season came in 2018 when he went 10-9 with a 1.70 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 269 strikeouts in 217 innings across 32 starts en route to his first-ever Cy Young award. He also won the Cy Young in 2019.

However, things got rough for deGrom after winning back-to-back Cy Youngs. He was limited to just 15 starts in 2021 because of an elbow injury and made just 11 starts in 2022 because of a shoulder ailment.

That said, he was still effective in each of those seasons when he did pitch. In 26 starts across 2021 and 2022, the 34-year-old posted a 12-6 record, 1.90 ERA, 0.63 WHIP and 248 strikeouts in 156.1 innings.

Despite the injuries, the Rangers are still getting one heck of an arm for their rotation. So, here's three instant reactions from Texas' blockbuster signing.

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Rangers Prove They're Ready to Contend in 2023

Despite the additions of Marcus Semien and Corey Seager, the Rangers finished fourth in the American League West in 2022 with a 68-94 record and missed the postseason for the sixth straight year.

While the signing of deGrom may not truly make the Rangers contenders in the division alongside the Houston Astros and Seattle Mariners, the club has at least proven it is sick of being a cellar-dweller and is ready to contend.

The Rangers were in desperate need of an ace on the mound following a disappointing 2022 campaign from its starters, and they did more than just address that need in signing deGrom.

Last season, the Rangers starting pitching ranked 25th in MLB with a 4.63 ERA. The only teams that were worse were the Oakland Athletics, Kansas City Royals, Cincinnati Reds, Colorado Rockies and Washington Nationals.

In 2023, deGrom will anchor a Texas rotation that includes Jon Gray, Jake Odorizzi and Martín Pérez, who was one of the team's best arms last season, posting a 12-8 record with a 2.89 ERA and 1.26 WHIP in 32 starts.

The signing of deGrom proves the Rangers are willing to spend in order to improve, and they should at the very least post more wins in 2023 than they did in 2022. Even if they don't, they're ready to build their rotation around deGrom in the years to come.

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How Will Mets Replace DeGrom?

Let's be clear, there's no replacing deGrom. However, the Mets will need to at least attempt to address the hole his departure left in the rotation.

As it stands, Max Scherzer will serve as the team's No. 1 in 2023, and while the three-time Cy Young winner had a solid 2022 campaign, there's no question he's past his prime at 38. He posted a 11-5 record last season with a 2.29 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 173 strikeouts in 145.1 innings across 23 starts.

Beyond Scherzer, the Mets' rotation is filled out by Carlos Carrasco, David Peterson and Tylor Megill. With some top-tier talent still available on the market, it's hard to believe the club won't add another arm this winter.

Even before deGrom's exit, the Mets have sought out some of the top available free agent pitchers this winter, including Justin Verlander, Kodai Senga, Jameson Taillon and Carlos Rodón.

Of course, all are being pursued by many, but with deGrom's contract off the books, the Mets should be making some interesting offers to some of the top arms available, especially after locking up superstar closer Edwin Díaz to a five-year, $102 million deal.

It's unclear which of those arms, if any, are New York's top target following deGrom's exit. However, Verlander should at least be very high on the list.

The 39-year-old is coming off arguably his best season in 2022, posting an 18-4 record, 1.75 ERA, 0.83 WHIP and 185 strikeouts in 175 innings across 28 starts. He also won the Cy Young award, the third of his career.

What's even more impressive is that Verlander accomplished the feat after missing all but one game in 2020 and the entire 2021 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

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Will DeGrom Be Worth the Money?

$185 million—and potentially up to $222 million—is a lot of money to commit to deGrom. One of the biggest questions following this signing is: Will deGrom be worth the money?

The simple answer is that it all comes down to health.

If deGrom remains mostly healthy throughout his five-year career, then it's reasonable to believe he will be more than worth the $185 million the Rangers committed to him. But if he's constantly out of the lineup with injuries, then there's a problem.

DeGrom hasn't made more than 15 starts in a season since he made 32 starts and won the Cy Young in 2019. While that was just four years ago, he has endured a significant amount of injuries since then, including elbow inflammation, a stress reaction in his scapula and forearm tightness.

However, the Rangers will likely keep a close eye on deGrom throughout his tenure knowing that he has been injury-prone over the last few seasons. Managing his starts will be key to keeping him healthy through the duration of his contract.

There should be optimism about deGrom entering 2023, but fans will undoubtedly be concerned if he misses a significant amount of time next season.

The Texas Rangers have signed former New York Mets ace pitcher Jacob deGrom to a five-year, $185 million contract, per ESPN's Jeff Passan.

The two-time National League Cy Young Award winner now leads a rotation that includes Jon Gray, Martín Pérez, Jake Odorizzi and Dane Dunning, per FanGraphs, which also projects Texas for a $177 million payroll in 2023 (ninth in MLB).

Texas has a top-heavy payroll with deGrom, shortstop Corey Seager and second baseman Marcus Semien leading the way. Texas signed Seager to a 10-year, $325 million contract, and Semien inked a seven-season, $175 million deal.

The Rangers struggled last year despite the addition of their two middle infielders, finishing fourth in the American League West with a 68-94 record.

Texas struggled offensively (ninth in the AL in OPS) and on the mound (12th in the AL in ERA). DeGrom should at least serve as the bona fide ace of a rotation that looks solid on paper, especially after the Rangers traded for Odorizzi to strengthen the back end.

The four-time All-Star has played his entire nine-year career with the Mets, going 82-57 with a 2.52 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 10.9 K/9 rate.

When healthy, he's been the best pitcher in baseball of late. Unfortunately, injuries kept him out for large chunks of the season in 2021 (elbow, forearm ailments) and 2022 (stress reaction on his right scapula). He made only 27 starts over the past two years.

That, in turn, presents a big risk for the Rangers as they look to return to relevance. However, a healthy deGrom could dominate the American League and significantly strengthen a rotation in need of help.

The Texas Rangers have added a big piece to their roster with the signing of Jacob deGrom.

The starting pitcher has agreed to a five-year deal with the Rangers, the club announced Friday. It is worth $185 million and has a sixth-year option that could make the total deal worth $222 million, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan.

DeGrom had $53 million remaining on his initial five-year contract with the New York Mets, but he decided to opt out of the final two seasons in search of a better deal.

Mike Puma of the New York Post reported the Mets never made a final offer to the starter.

The two-time Cy Young winner will now get a fresh start after spending the nine years of his career with the Mets.

A shoulder issue limited deGrom to just 11 starts in 2022, finishing the year 5-4 with a 3.08 ERA and 0.746 WHIP. He added 102 strikeouts in just 64.1 innings. Though effective on the mound, the missed time is a significant issue after an elbow injury held the starter to just 15 starts in 2021.

He still thrived when healthy with a 7-2 record, 1.08 ERA and 146 strikeouts. His 0.554 WHIP would be the best in MLB history if he had enough innings to qualify.

Even before this historic production, the 34-year-old finished 2020 with a 4-2 record and 2.38 ERA, leading the league with 104 strikeouts in just 68 innings. It was enough to finish third in Cy Young voting after winning the award the previous two seasons.

From 2018-21, the right-hander had a 1.94 ERA in 91 starts with a 0.88 WHIP and 12 strikeouts per nine innings.

It only added to deGrom's resume after he won the 2014 Rookie of the Year award and helped the Mets reach the World Series in 2016.

The continued production shows he can be a difference-maker for his new team at the top of the rotation, putting the Rangers one step closer to playoff contention.

Texas was just 68-94 last season, marking the sixth straight year without a postseason appearance. The team should still improve with the addition of a true ace, turning around a pitching staff that ranked 12th in the American League in ERA last season.

New York still has Max Scherzer under contract to help handle the loss of deGrom, but the rotation should take a step back after last year's success.

The Milwaukee Brewers have made Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff and Willy Adames unavailable in trade discussions, according to USA Today's Bob Nightengale.

The news comes after ESPN's Jeff Passan reported that the Brewers have traded second baseman Kolten Wong to the Seattle Mariners for outfielder Jesse Winker and infielder Abraham Toro.

The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported Thursday that the Brewers had been receiving calls on the availability of Burnes, Woodruff and Adames. He added that Milwaukee would be more likely to move one or more of those players at the 2023 season's trade deadline.

Burnes, Woodruff and Adames are all under team control through the 2024 campaign.

After finishing the 2022 season with an 86-76 record and missing the playoffs, the Brewers may not be entering a rebuild, but they could be entering a reset, meaning that certain players will undoubtedly be made available for trade.

Burnes, who began his MLB career in 2018, has emerged as one of Milwaukee's best starters. During the 2022 season, he went 12-8 with a 2.94 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and 243 strikeouts in 202 innings across 33 starts.

Woodruff began his major-league career in 2017, and he has also emerged as one of the team's top pitchers. He went 13-4 in 2022 with a 3.05 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 190 strikeouts in 153.1 innings across 27 starts.

Adames, while not one of baseball's premier shortstops, is still very good. Last season, he slashed .238/.298/.458 with 31 home runs, 98 RBI and eight stolen bases in 139 games. Further, the Brewers likely can't afford nor make a run at one of the league's top free-agent shortstops, such as Trea Turner, Xander Bogaerts, Carlos Correa and Dansby Swanson.

It's unclear if the Brewers have any intentions of trading other players. Wong was the team's top player made available in trade discussions.

The Milwaukee Brewers announced they have promoted Marti Wronski to chief operating officer (COO), making her the only female leader to hold that title for an MLB franchise, according to the organization.

Congratulations to Marti Wronski on her promotion to Chief Operating Officer and Jason Hartlund on his promotion to Executive Vice President – Chief Commercial Officer.

This promotion places Wronski as the only female executive leader to hold the COO title for an MLB Club. pic.twitter.com/Rt4jGjJCVR

— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) December 2, 2022

Per the Brewers, Wronski is the highest-ranking female executive in the Brewers' organization since Wendy Selig-Prieb was president and chairman.

Wronski is entering her 20th season with the Brewers. She previously held titles as the team's general counsel and senior vice president (administration).

As noted by the Associated Press, Wronski's expanded role will include oversight of the business analytics and strategy team.

In her time with the Brewers, she has presided over legal, information technology and human resource departments as well as legal affairs, governmental relations and compliance.

Before her time with the Brewers, Wronski worked as a litigation associate for Foley and Lardner, LLP from 1997 to 2001.

Two other women serve as heads of business operations for MLB teams.

Catie Griggs is the president of business operations with the Seattle Mariners. The recently promoted Caroline O’Connor is the Miami Marlins' president of business operations. Kim Ng also runs baseball operations as the Marlins' general manager.

The Philadelphia Phillies are in the market for a shortstop, and they're set to meet with some of the best available at the position before winter meetings begin on Monday in San Diego.

The Phillies have set meetings with Trea Turner, Carlos Correa, Xander Bogaerts and Dansby Swanson, per The Athletic's Jayson Stark. The team is expected to meet with Bogaerts and Correa this weekend, while meetings with Turner and Swanson may have already taken place.

The Phillies have emerged as the favorite to sign Turner, per MLB Network's Jon Morosi, and he is expected to land a deal worth at least $30 million per year, regardless of where he ends up.

Turner spent the last season-and-a-half with the Los Angeles Dodgers, earning an All-Star Game selection and a Silver Slugger award in 2022 after slashing .298/.343/.466 with 21 home runs, 100 RBI and 27 stolen bases in 160 games.

While the Phillies are viewed as the favorite to sign Turner, he has no shortage of suitors this winter. The Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants have been mentioned as potential destinations.

Bogaerts has an obvious connection to the Phillies as president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski served in the same role with the Boston Red Sox, the star shortstop's former club, from 2015 to '19.

Bogaerts had spent his entire 10-year career with the Red Sox before becoming a free agent this winter. Like Turner, he also earned an All-Star Game selection and a Silver Slugger award in 2022 after slashing .307/.377/.456 with 15 home runs, 73 RBI and eight stolen bases in 150 games.

Correa, meanwhile, spent the 2022 season the Minnesota Twins after beginning his career with the Houston Astros. He hit .291/.366/.467 with 22 home runs and 64 RBI in 136 games. He opted out of the remainder of his contract with the Twins in search of a more lucrative deal in free agency.

Swanson spent his entire seven-year career with the Atlanta Braves before becoming a free agent. He earned an All-Star Game selection and a Gold Glove award in 2022 after hitting .277/.329/.447 with 25 home runs, 96 RBI and 18 stolen bases in 162 games.

During the 2022 campaign, the Phillies relied on Jean Segura and Bryson Stott at shortstop. Segura is a free agent and Stott, 25, will be entering just his second major league season in 2023. Thus, the Phillies want someone more proven.

After reaching the World Series in 2022, the Phillies could be just one superstar piece away from winning it all in 2023.

It's rare for the Tampa Bay Rays to win a free-agent bidding war against the Boston Red Sox, but Zach Eflin's preference to play close to his home was a deciding factor in the race for his signature.

Per Alex Speier of the Boston Globe, the Red Sox were confident they had an agreement in place with Eflin for three years and $40 million.

Speier noted Eflin took that offer to the Rays, who were willing to match it. Joel Sherman of the New York Post and MLB Network first reported the right-hander agreed to a deal with Tampa.

Eflin was born in Orlando and continues to live in the area. The Athletic's Chad Jennings reported he wanted to give the Rays a chance to match Boston's offer so he could pitch close to home.

When the Rays decided to match, Eflin chose to take their deal.

ESPN's Jeff Passan noted this marks the largest free-agent contract the Rays have given out in franchise history.

The $40 million commitment to Eflin is also the fifth-largest deal in Rays history. Blake Snell (five years, $50 million), Kevin Kiermaier (six years, $53.5 million), Evan Longoria (six years, $100 million) and Wander Franco (11 years, $182 million) are the only players ahead of him.

Each of those four players were already with the Rays and signed extensions. Snell and Longoria were traded before the end of those deals.

Losing out on Eflin will only add to the frustration Red Sox fans have been feeling with the team's lack of free-agent activity in recent years. Some of it can be attributed to the residual effect of the front office's aggressive push when Dave Dombrowski was president of baseball operations.

The Red Sox still had the sixth-highest payroll in MLB at $225.7 million last season. But they have been "far apart" in extension talks with Rafael Devers this offseason, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

Xander Bogaerts, who opted out of his deal in November to become a free agent, is still talking with the Red Sox. The four-time All-Star is also on the radar for the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers, per ESPN's Jeff Passan.

Losing out on Eflin to a division rival also hurts Boston's attempt to get back into playoff contention. The Red Sox finished last in the American League East in 2022 with a 78-84 record.

The Yankees, Rays and Toronto Blue Jays all made the playoffs in the division. The Baltimore Orioles are improving and were in playoff contention until the final week of the season. They finished with a winning record (83-79) for the first time since 2016.

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Coming off a stellar 2022 season split between the Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals, José Quintana is attracting a lot of attention on the free-agent market.

Per Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Cardinals "have competition" as they attempt to re-sign the 33-year-old left-hander.

Teams that need a starting pitcher but don't want to spend at the top of the market will likely take a hard look at Quintana.

It's unclear at this point which clubs are in on Quintana. The New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox had interest in him before the trade deadline. The Cardinals ultimately acquired him and Chris Stratton from the Pirates in exchange for Malcom Nunez and Johan Oviedo.

The Pirates signed Quintana to a one-year, $2 million deal that turned into a massive bargain last offseason. He finished 2022 with a 2.93 ERA and 1.21 WHIP in 165.2 innings over 32 starts between Pittsburgh and St. Louis.

It was the first season since 2016 that Quintana posted a sub-4.00 ERA and first time since 2019 he threw at least 100 innings.

Given the inconsistency in his performance and lack of durability in recent years before 2022, Quintana does present significant risk to teams as a free agent.

One encouraging sign for teams was the performance of Quintana's fastball last season. It was tied for the 19th-most valuable pitch in Major League Baseball with a minus-17 run value. His curveball was also an above-average pitch with a minus-10 run value.

Quintana's age and durability questions do make him an affordable option for clubs that want another starter. He probably won't get back to being an All-Star player at this stage of his career, but a solid mid-rotation starter who can eat innings has a lot of value.