The Mets engaged in preliminary extension talks with ace Jacob deGrom during Spring Training, reports Andy Martino of SNY. Discussions did not get very far and are not expected to continue during the regular season, Martino adds.
With talks now on hold, it certainly doesn’t appear as if another long-term deal between deGrom and the Mets is coming in the near future. There’s not a whole lot of urgency, though. The two-time Cy Young award winner previously signed an extension in March 2019. That deal could keep deGrom in Queens through 2024 but affords him the opportunity to opt out after the 2022 season. The 32-year-old is slated for successive salaries of $36MM in each of the next two years (with some of that money deferred). If deGrom doesn’t opt out two years from now, he’d make $30.5MM in 2023, while the Mets would have to decide on a 2024 club option valued at $32.5MM.
While it’s certainly possible the Mets and deGrom revisit extension talks next winter, the financial picture for the organization has changed significantly in recent days. On Wednesday night, the Mets agreed to a ten-year, $341MM extension with shortstop Francisco Lindor that covers the 2022-31 seasons. That pushed the Mets’ 2022 payroll commitments over $127MM, in the estimation of Cot’s Baseball Contracts.
More meaningfully in the context of a potential deGrom extension, New York already has in excess of $100MM on the books for 2023. That takes the form of salaries for Lindor ($34.5MM), deGrom ($30.5MM), Robinson Canó ($20.25MM), James McCann ($12.125MM) and Taijuan Walker ($6MM player option), as well as a $3MM buyout on Carlos Carrasco’s $14MM club option. deGrom opting out after 2022 would remove his salary from that ledger but would obviously require the Mets to make another significant investment if they want to keep him in the fold.
The Mets have a few more pressing decisions to make in the coming months. Michael Conforto, Noah Syndergaard and Marcus Stroman are all scheduled for free agency after this season. New York discussed an extension with Conforto during Spring Training. Those talks could continue into the regular season but it seems there’s still quite the gap to close if they’re to keep the productive outfielder off the open market.
Steve Cohen is the game’s wealthiest owner and has already pushed the Mets’ player payroll well above the previous ownership group’s recent limits. It remains to be seen how much further Cohen is willing to go and how team president Sandy Alderson chooses to allocate those resources in an attempt to build a perennial contender around Lindor.
I absolutely forgot Cano was on the Mets. yikes.
So did Cano
And in the near future Alonso, McNeil, Smith, and Nimmo. Lots of loot to distribute.
No need to extend McNeil, he’s controlled through his age 32 season. Sign all of those guys and we’ll be a last place, expensive team once they all get to the second half of those deals.
I mean, Alonso, Dom, and Squirrel are 2025 free agents…it’ll get here but plenty of time. Alonso also probably gets paid as a DH. Nimmo is the most replaceable of the bunch. The real question is how the CBA talks affect rookie deals
My order would be McNeil Smith Nimmo and Alonso in order of importance. Nimmo and Alonso are about the same,
Alonso i need to see what Alonso does season 3 . 1st year with the juice balls he was a monster, 2nd year with the balls toned down offense toned down a little more and with them toning the ball down even more i am a little afraid he might end up another ike davis. Hot off the start and then slowly drops down to mediocre but instead of the player its more the circumstances. Not his fault but with them heading to less homers Alonso becomes a little less useful especially with Dom being the better fielder.
Nimmo i think is better suited for a corner. Doesnt have the power but is a solid hitter enough to stay on the field especially if Conforto is lost and really nothing in the pipeline to replace conforto unless you move/keep smith and mcneil to the of..
Dom is a solid bat with power and plays a solid first base and has improved with more consistent play. I would keep him over Alonso for sure.
McNeil is probably your no 2 or no 3 position player depending on how you look at dom smith but also has some versatility in the OF 3b 2b and probably 1st if needed.
But why do you need to pay McNeil deep into his decline years? Players are rarely anywhere near prime by age 33.
I see McNeil as DJLM type just double instead of homers. but that could be just the stadium. Im not saying give him a 10 yr 350 mil deal, but buyout arbitration and a couple of FA years for cost certainty and lock him up til 35 or 36 i think is worth it. 7 yr 90 maybe similar to Acuna just a little lighter. Acuna i think was WAAAAAYYYYY under paid in that contract but something like that i think is right about what mcneil is worth over long haul.
DJ is a good comparison, but banking on McNeil to fit that aging pattern is betting on the exception rather than the rule. McNeil COULD be DJ good into his mid to late thirties, but chances are overwhelmingly unlikely that he will be.
I agree with what you are saying, there is a chance he could be good or bad mid to late 30’s. I think there is a better chance he stays the current course as he has less wear and tear than DJLM and as far as i can recollect does not have a IL history either. He also has a pretty natural swing from what i see so i dont see the bat diminishing either. Maybe the hr drop a little but he is a high avg hitter which is tough to replace and seems to be what MLB is aiming towards with the ball changes.
I don’t see Nimmo as replaceable at all. He’s an on base machine, not so easy to replace.
I mostly agree with your stance on Nimmo. The problem with Nimmo is consistency and injuries. The disc issue could pop up at any time, or it may be gone for good, we just won’t know. His OBP is fantastic, but if he’s going to be used as a CF for multiple years, I’d rather we trade him for a different need.
I think Conforto is going to walk (based on things we’ve heard about the contract and Boras). If that happens, Nimmo’s value becomes much more significant to the Mets.
In response to some of the other comments regarding paying the rest of the cast, we absolutely do not need to hand Alonso a big contract. I’ll take Smith way before I take Pete. McNeil is worth a 4-5 year deal after he hits FA, but only if he continues to slash his current line with minimal drop in production.
Cohen has really been thrown into the fire. It’ll be fascinating to see how he handles these extensions.
As a prior minority owner, I think he knows what he got himself in to. He’ll make value moves and won’t be afraid to cut bait with popular players.
I’m not sure I’d term it as thrown into the fire. Standard part of running a team. It’s good that he has talent worthy of paying. Better than the alternative.
I’m fine with giving deGrom whatever he wants.
The Mets will probably gladly accept your contribution to deGrom’s salary.
They do
I would start by telling him the Mets option year would be guaranteed if he removes the opt out and add an option year at the back end for Degrom to choose at 32+ mil. Feels like that’s a fair thing. 36 year old season choosing 32 mil or not to play for the Mets.
I think the Mets can also play with the deferrals on those two years to get the third year cheap. The two options total $63m with 27m deferred. They could probably give him those two plus a new year 3/90 with 5m deferred each year.
Agreed
Or offer an extended deal late into his 30’s to lower their AAV. But I think he’d rather go the Scherzer/Verlander route if he hasn’t signed by now.
Hahahaha you think you can keep degrom by guaranteeing an option& adding another?!?
No no buddy. He’s asking for 36M for 5+ years, and telling you he’ll go to the market to get it if you don’t wanna pay him.
I’ve seen a lot of people here say that Degrom has a opt out this year. Who started that? It’s completely wrong. We have 2 more years of him for sure.
For extensions, especially if they have opt outs 2 yrs before the opt out or 2 yrs left of arbitration seem to be the best time to discuss extensions. It gives you options in that you can still trade the next year and get more value due to QO but the player is a little more receptive to the extension since it is further out.
DeGrom i think will wait until mid season at earliest. He has done pretty much everything he can but win it all. Based on how the team gels and improves this season i think will make a huge difference to his decision on extension.
Sign deGrom. Let’s not revisit Seaver, v2.0. Conforto needs to be signed, and possible Thor, depending how he looks when he returns. Nimmo – goodbye. McNeil – sure, on the cheap. Dom – if he repeats again, yes. Especially if the DH comes into play, then he can move to first and Alonso can strictly hit.
Lol, Nimmo goodbye? Nimmo if the career 130 OPS+? This sounds like some old school caveman nonsense.
There’s this thing called defense. And his arm can barely reach second base. I’d say he’s reached his peak and it’s time to move on.
There are plenty of corner OF players that are important to their lineups with sub-par arms. Nimmo is not a bad defender when he is playing his proper position.
Braun, JD Martinez, Nelson Cruz, Brantley, Manny, Lance Berkman, Matt Holliday, Sosa, etc.
All were huge parts of their team lineups, despite playing average or worse defense at various points of their career. Don’t try to compare power numbers because we all know Nimmo adds a very important element in today’s hitting game.
I can’t believe that in this day in age there are still folks out there judging Nimmo solely on batting average and not understanding that players decline begins at thirty.
I doubt Cohen let’s deGrom leave, anymore than I thought he’d let Lindor leave. It’s finding the right price. Right now deGrom has lifetime security and then some built in. He wants to be the highest paid pitcher in the game. He’ll use his leverage. I can see a deal signed next offseason but it wouldn’t surprise me at all if deGrom takes this to free agency and lets the market determine his value, but still ultimately signs again with the Mets.
I agree wholeheartedly with you. Even more so than Lindor given his status as a SP, and the 2nd best one in MLB (that ought to get a response). He’s too valuable in so many ways to let go. If at all possible, he will keep deGrom. I think deGrom stays a Met.
@Clipper, right. I don’t think there’s any danger this version of the Mets will turn this into a Seaver situation as someone elsewhere here suggested. That’s also why I’m positive he’ll be a Met for life. Cohen lived through M. Donald Grant and the Seaver trade as a teen. He then grew up to be a billionaire. He’s not letting deGrom leave. DeGrom and his agent, however, know that, so they’ll use that as additional leverage.
Ohhhh…he grew up a mets fan?
That poor, poor man.
Anyhooo, I agree it’ll be like Lindor.
They had to extend him. Same’ll happen with deGrom (the second best pitcher in MLB).
The second best pitcher in MLB…..
Who is the best?
Jacob deGrom
No way the Mets let Jake get away. He’ll be a Met for life
Keep spending more money and giving more years for the same players on the same roster. I love it!
The same players who are under control for multiple years. I thought this was the new Mets. I’ve seen this movie before.
Why can’t you stay away?
Marlins will get there…. eventually. Jeter and Ng are doing well. Don’t be so bitter in the meantime and try to enjoy baseball.
Dom Smith is better statistically at this point of time than Alonso. in BA and FLDG % at 1st base. Alonso will find 21 a tough year as pitchers are aware of him and his attack on balls out of the strike zone.
As if Alonso is a one-dimensional player incapable of making adjustments. Alonso will never win a batting title as his niche is swinging for the fences.
Ralph Kiner never won a batting title.
Smith and Alonso’s O-Swing% were virtually identical in ’19, Smith’s almost 3% higher than Alonso’s in ’20. Smith’s at -5 DRS at first, Alonso. Alonse breaks even UZR-wise while Smith’s at -1.8. Smith walks less often, strikes out more often, is 20 behind Alonso’s wRC+, and has yet to break 200 PA in a season. Doesn’t appear to be biting at Pete’s heels quite yet.
Alonzo is better defensively?! Interesting, I didn’t know that and based off many conversations had thought differently. Wonder why Smith seems to be preferred to him?
No question that Smith is much better at first. Dom had some stumbles in a small sample size so his numbers are a bit misleading. Alonso had a terrible time on D in the minors but seems to have improved a bit, but wouldn’t trust it too much.
What’s weird about DeGrom is that he has 70 wins in 7 years and a WAR of 38.6 and he’s the number one pitcher on the team. So his replacement wouldn’t even win 5 games a year. Weird.
He won his first Cy Young with 10 total Wins… and then 11. What’s so weird about that? Certainly not a good metric to judge talent.
It’s a statistical anomaly. Hence, weird.
Understood. As awards voters shift away from Wins totals and focus more on peripheral stats, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a single-digit Win starter win a CYA in the near future.
I can’t envision the Mets even discussing Marcus Stroman when he hasn’t pitched for them in over a year. I like the Stro-Show, but I feel like he needs to put up a full season n the NL before getting his last of his prime years contract.
The Mets should never consider extending Pete Alonso; however, based on their track record, they will and for big (and bigly wasted) dollars.