The Texas Rangers signed Jacob deGrom to a 5-year, $185M dollar contract. The deal came as a surprise, as many people around the league expected the New York Mets to re-sign their ace. But the Mets are now prepared to move forward with Max Scherzer leading the charge.
The Rangers undeniably made a massive free agency splash. But they received some ridicule for their deGrom signing. Some people called them out for being irrelevant. But Texas is aiming to erase that reputation by bringing in stars and building a winner. The question has been raised since the deal became official… were the Rangers right to pay Jacob deGrom in free agency?
Here is a look at 3 reasons why Texas made the correct decision.
Jacob deGrom is a true ace
Jacob deGrom is an ace in every sense of the word. He gives everything he has when he takes the mound and leads by example.
The Rangers signed star infielders Corey Seager and Marcus Semien last offseason. Although Seager and Semien helped to anchor the lineup, Texas needed a leader in the pitching rotation, as the Rangers' pitching staff was unreliable throughout the 2022 campaign.
Signing Jacob deGrom to a multi-year deal gives the Rangers exactly what they need. There are health concerns when it comes to deGrom. But if he is able to avoid the injury bug, Texas' pitching will reap the benefits.
And regardless of whether they are competitive in 2023 or not, his presence will entice pitchers to consider joining the Rangers down the road.
Rangers' fanbase
The Rangers' aforementioned signings of Seager and Semien sparked some life into the fanbase last year. But the addition of Jacob deGrom sends a competitive message.
The Rangers have wanted to compete for a long while ever since getting their new ballpark. Instead, fans watched the Los Angeles Dodgers win the 2020 World Series over the Tampa Bay Rays at Globe Life Field, as the Fall Classic was held there due to the pandemic.
One has to imagine that upset the Rangers. Texas wants to win in their ballpark. And this brings them one step closer to building a serious ball club.
The Rangers are still looking to add pieces around their core. At the very least, they can honestly say that they are trying to win.
Good for baseball
One area of MLB that has been criticized for years is the fact that only a select number of teams tend to make big signings in free free agency. Teams in big markets such as the Yankees, Mets, Dodgers, and Red Sox are always in the conversation for star free agents. So when a team such as the Texas Rangers signs a superstar like Jacob deGrom, it increases overall interest and adds a new element of competitiveness to the league.
The Minnesota Twins made a similar move last year when they shocked the MLB world by signing Carlos Correa. Although Minnesota ultimately fell short in 2022, they made an attempt to strategize a winning formula.
Will the Rangers win the World Series in 2023? The odds of that happening are obviously rather slim. They will likely be considered a fringe playoff team at best barring another high-profile signing. But their Jacob deGrom move adds an interesting storyline to the baseball landscape.
In the end, the Rangers were right to pay Jacob deGrom.
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