ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Free-agent ace Jacob deGrom and the Texas Rangers agreed to a $185 million, five-year contract Friday.
The two-time Cy Young Award winner leaves the New York Mets after nine seasons — the past two shortened by injuries.
After making his first start last season in early August, deGrom went 5-4 with a 3.08 ERA in 11 outings. He helped the Mets reach the playoffs, then opted out of his contract to become a free agent.
The contract includes pair of conditional options, one that protects the Rangers against an arm injury and another that would make the deal worth $222 million over six seasons if he is remains a top pitcher at the end of 2027.
The deal agreed to Friday with the two-time Cy Young Award winner includes salaries of $30 million next year, $40 million each in 2024 and '25, $38 million in 2026 and $37 million in 2027.
Texas announced the signing Friday night after the 34-year-old deGrom passed his physical. A person with direct knowledge of the deal disclosed the financial terms to The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the club did not announce those details.
“We are thrilled that Jacob deGrom has decided to become a Texas Ranger,” executive vice president and general manager Chris Young said in a statement. “Over a number of seasons, Jacob has been a standout major league pitcher, and he gives us a dominant performer at the top of our rotation. One of our primary goals this offseason is to strengthen our starting pitching, and we are adding one of the best."
Texas went 68-94 last season and then hired Bruce Bochy as its new manager. The Rangers’ six straight losing seasons are their worst skid since the franchise moved from Washington in 1972.
The Rangers were big spenders in free agency last offseason, signing Corey Seager ($325 million, 10 years) and second baseman Marcus Semien ($175 million, seven years).
The team said deGrom will be introduced in a news conference at Globe Life Field next week following the winter meetings in San Diego.
“It fits in so many ways in terms of what we need,” Young said. “He’s a tremendous person. I have a number of close friends and teammates who played with Jacob and love him. I think he’s going to be just a perfect fit for our clubhouse and our fans.”
Texas had modest expectations after adding Seager, Semien and starter Jon Gray ($56 million, four years) last offseason but still fell short of them.
The Rangers went 68-94, firing manager Chris Woodward during the season, and then hired Bruce Bochy, a three-time World Series champion with San Francisco. Texas' six straight losing seasons are its worst skid since the franchise moved from Washington in 1972.
Rangers owner Ray Davis said the club wouldn't hesitate to keep adding payroll. Including the $19.65 million qualifying offer accepted by Martín Pérez, the team's best pitcher last season, the Rangers have spent nearly $761 million in free agency over the past year.
“I hate losing, but I think there’s one person in our organization who hates losing worse than me, and I think it’s Ray Davis,” Young said. “He's tired of losing. I’m tired of losing. Our organization is tired of losing.”
The fan favourite becomes the latest in a long line of ace pitchers to leave the Mets for one reason or another, including Nolan Ryan, Tom Seaver, Dwight Gooden and David Cone.
The Rangers visit Citi Field from Aug. 28-30.
When healthy, deGrom is perhaps baseball's most dominant pitcher. His 2.52 career ERA ranks third in the expansion era (since 1961) behind Los Angeles Dodgers lefty Clayton Kershaw (2.48) and Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax (2.19) among those with at least 200 starts.
The right-hander is 4-1 with a 2.90 ERA in five career postseason starts, including a win over San Diego in the wild-card round this year that extended the Mets' season. New York was eliminated the next night.
A four-time All-Star and the 2014 NL Rookie of the Year, deGrom was a ninth-round draft pick by the Mets in 2010 out of Stetson, where he played shortstop before moving to the mound. He was slowed by Tommy John surgery early in his career and didn't reach the majors until age 26.
Once he arrived, though, he blossomed. He helped the Mets reach the 2015 World Series and earn a 2016 playoff berth before winning consecutive NL Cy Young Awards in 2018 and 2019.
But injuries to his elbow, forearm and shoulder blade have limited him to 26 starts over the past two seasons. He compiled a career-low 1.08 ERA over 92 innings in 2021, but did not pitch after July 7 that year because of arm trouble.
DeGrom is 82-57 with 1,607 strikeouts in 1,326 innings over nine big league seasons. He gets $30 million next year, $40 million in 2024 and 2025, $38 million in 2026 and $37 million in 2027. The deal includes a conditional option for 2028 with no guaranteed money.
The addition of deGrom gives the Rangers three proven starters along with Gray and Pérez, who went 12-8 with a career-best 2.89 ERA in his return to the team that signed him as a teenager out of Venezuela. Young didn't rule out the addition of another starter.
With several holes on their starting staff, the Mets have shown interest in free agents Justin Verlander and Carlos Rodón to pair with 38-year-old Max Scherzer atop the rotation.
Now, with deGrom gone, signing one of those two could become a much bigger priority.
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