The Texas Rangers made a serious splash last Friday with Jacob deGrom inking a five-year $185 million deal with the organization, ending a nine-year spell with the New York Mets, the team who drafted him out of Stetson University in 2010.
On Thursday, deGrom talked to the media for the first time since signing with the Rangers and he made it clear how much the Mets and their fans will always mean to him.
“There will always be a special place in my heart for the Mets and their fans.”
You'd have to believe New York means something to Jacob deGrom after such a long time with the franchise. The two-time NL Cy Young winner became one of the most feared arms in the big leagues during his time at Citi Field, posting an 82-57 record, and 2.52 ERA while striking out 10.9 hitters per nine innings. Elite.
Whether Mets fans feel the same remains to be seen. New Yorkers aren't the most forgiving and are probably upset he left in the first place. Steve Cohen and the front office reportedly offered deGrom three years and $120 million but he turned that down in favor of the Rangers deal. Going down to Texas is definitely questionable in a way because they're not exactly a contender, but there are some stars on that roster now and Jacob deGrom gets to be the main man in their rotation, as he was for a long time in NY.
But are they on the level of the Mets? Questionable. Perhaps deGrom just wanted a bag. We'll see if he can make a difference for the Rangers' playoff aspirations.