The Rays are among the teams that have reached out to the representatives for Jacob deGrom, reports Andy Martino of SNY. They join the Rangers, Yankees and incumbent Mets as clubs known to have some amount of interest, although there are surely a number of other teams in the bidding.
Needless to say, Tampa Bay represents a long shot in the race for any top free agent. The Rays consistently run payrolls in the bottom five to ten, and it’s impossible to envision them winning any all-out bidding war against either New York franchise or a Texas club that has rapidly pushed its payroll upwards and seems determined to land impact pitching this winter. Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic unsurprisingly writes that Tampa Bay officials aren’t bullish on their chances of signing deGrom.
Still, there’s no harm for the Rays in touching base with the four-time All-Star’s camp. deGrom is a Florida native and a Stetson product, and there’s been some speculation he could welcome an opportunity to return to the Southeast. To be clear, the pitcher himself hasn’t publicly aired any geographic preferences. The Rays also offer a more clearly competitive roster than the Rangers, although it’s debatable whether they’re better positioned to contend for a World Series than the Yankees, Mets or other teams that could enter the bidding like the Dodgers and Giants.
The Rays opened the 2022 season with a payroll just south of $84MM, per Cot’s Baseball Contracts. Roster Resource estimates their 2023 commitments around $68MM at present, so there should be a bit of room for president of baseball operations Erik Neander and his staff to augment the roster. Adding a player like deGrom would require blowing this year’s franchise-record spending level out of the water, though, with MLBTR predicting the two-time Cy Young winner to land a record $45MM average annual value over a three-year term.
The projected $135MM guarantee would be the second-largest expenditure in franchise history, training only the $182MM extension signed by shortstop Wander Franco last offseason. That was spread over 11 years, while a deal for a 34-year-old ace would involve much higher salaries over a shorter term. Tampa Bay was reportedly willing to offer Freddie Freeman a deal in the $150MM range last winter, but even that would’ve been dispersed across six to seven seasons. Tyler Glasnow, who signed an extension in August, is slated for a $25MM guarantee in 2024 that’ll mark the largest single-season salary the team has paid.
Now TB signing DeGrom would be great for MLB. That would shake up the hot stove. Burn dodgers Mets rangers Yankees. What fun.
The rays? Did anyone tell the Rays that Degrom can’t be had for 1 year 6 million?
Ok TCS has the best post thus far….hahahaha nice
I imagine Jake just accepted the call to say “Happy Holidays”.
They offered Freeman only $12M less than what he signed for last offseason.
Freddie took a pay cut just to go to the Dodgers.
If that’s correct ‘ol Freddie lost money when factoring in state income tax.
Who had a higher offer than LA? I don’t think it’s true he took a pay cut. It’s been reported Atlanta only offered 5 years.
How original!
Newsflash: Now somebody’s gotta tell the Sting Rays that deGrom isn’t taking their $7.50 offer though.
I don’t disagree but ppl also should understand that Florida and Texas havemuch lower taxes so a 15 mil per deal there is likely better then 20 in most other places
But you’re also talking TX and FL. Humidity, bugs.and hurricanes. In TX, power grid problems, water quality problems, boiling bad water.
@utah, you don’t even know what you’re talking about. Quit repeating what you hear on cnn
No state income tax on half his games.. Think on that alone if Rays offered.. Say 35m, or so compared to few other heavily state taxed states, then add in Florida has multiple other advantages to others.
Little wonder he has had contact for those who can think.
come on, they were also throwing in a Sun Pass for the bridge…
you’re making it sound like Tampa’s cheap…
I really don’t understand the rays interest giving how they build their teams. Relies so much on surplus value and getting him means they gave him multiple years and a high AAV. If the rays were out of it they’d trade him sooo fast that his agent would be insane not to get a no trade clause. Unless he prices himself out all the big market teams and the rays offer is above and beyond everyone else who’s left this isn’t even really worth talking about. I’ll be surprised if he ends up anywhere but the Mets
It’s easy. The more interest, the more the price is driven up. In all honesty, it’s probably a pipe dream bt it doesn’t hurt the Rays to gamble.
No, Trumbo
At one point the Rays were driving the market for Freeman, and when the Braves signed Olson, Freddie was left with the decision to sign with the Rays or the Dodgers.
The “pay cut” would’ve been the Braves or Rays deal, which he ultimately fired his agents over.
his agent would be insane not to get a no trade clause.
=============================
That’s not the way to do it. If the correct price is $140M/4, for example, you ask for the $140M/4, plus a team option for a 5th year at $40M that becomes a player option should he be traded.
Anyone looking to trade for him would also be willing to pick up another year.
Not really how it works in reality since most players want to pick their destination. DeGrom will get comparable money with the no trade which will afford him the location of his choice if the team wants to trade him
Newsflash: Somebody’s got to tell the Sting Rays that $7.50 ain’t gonna cut it for the year. Good luck with all of that.
Yes, and I’ve been in contact with Kate Upton also.
So you violated the restraining order?
Good one, FSG.
With that putrid offence maybe the way to go to compete.
Who came up with that impressive salary figure?
And how?
You mean the 45M X 3 years? It’s known that he wants to break Max’s record and he had signed a 3-year deal above 40M, so there you go.
Well, Mr. deGrom has the primary qualification to pitch for the Rays……
He’s been on the IL a lot recently.
Lives in Florida. Can take his family to Disneyworld when he’s out injured during the season.
Win-Win.
Lose-lose Samuel, deGrom is a freak of nature who is amazing for 12-15 games a season, maybe wins 12 games. Whomever is willing to risk that, will complain the whole time he’s injured or can’t live up to his contract. Tampa Bay according to you..
I think winning 12 games for the rays would be insane because the offense wouldn’t support him enough to win 12 games even if he was able to pitch in 30 (which I think he will)
Kind of like when he was with the Mets.
That’s why pitcher wins is such a meaningless statistic. It depends on too many things out of a pitcher’s control.
If this happened they would have arguably the best starting staff in baseball for the three back to back aces they have.
DeGrom has won 12 games twice in 9 seasons.. so he’s used to having no offense
He’s been on the IL a lot recently.
==============================
The key word being “recently”. He’s typically not been injury-prone. He is #8 in GS for the 6 years from 2015-2020.
At the price range, I’d be looking at him with a microscope, but he had an incredible 102/8 K/W in 64.1 IPs in his return. He ended weakly, but with a good playoff game, so that has to be considered.
But you can also compare him to the other two elites. Verlander missed two of the last three seasons. Scherzer only had 23 GS last year. He’s an injury risk, but most SPs are as well.
His injury history seems to correlate with his increase in velocity. Go back and look at his average fastball velocity from 2015 to now. He came out in spring 2021 throwing 100 miles an hour plus and his average velocity for the season prior to his injury was 99 mph and change. In recent years, he primarily throws fastballs with his slider as his secondary pitch.
And to @JoeBrady’s point, many of those strikeouts occurred in the first few innings of games where he had periods of dominance although he was no longer unhittable. On multiple occasions, because he couldn’t locate his slider like he had in prior years, hitters were connecting on his fastball the second or third time through the lineup. His home run rate jumped last year with several of them at inopportune times in games against better teams.
All said, he’s a great pitcher, but I don’t think teams should expect the video game version that he was in 2018-2019. I hope he does well although there is certainly a good possibility he becomes the next Chris Sale. Great when he plays, just not often.
The freaking Rays? You can’t be serious.
No state tax in Florida. Still, they admit it’s a Longshot.
Why? To wish him a Merry Christmas?!
Rays want to ask Degrom for a loan?
Rattler, solid hahaha
Oh my, beyond my wildest dreams, a rotation led by deGrom, Glas, and Sugar Shane…filled out w Ras and Springs. Yonny in reserve, Taj on the way…
A guy can dream.
Let’s add to all the delusion. If Mr. Sting Ray himself throws in a fueled jet, maybe deGrom signs with Tampa Bay. That’s a really big if.
Neat.
I can imagine how that phone call went:
DeGrom: Yeah
Hello Jake, this is Peter Bendix the new GM with the Tampa Bay Rays.
DeGrom: Yeeahh
We’d love for you to come to spring training for a shot at this years club.
DeGrom: Is that you, Tolbert?! This isn’t very funny you know, I’m hungover, my knees are killing me, and if you were gonna pull this s*#% at least you could’ve said you were from the Yankees!
Hang on a second there Charlie I got a guy on the other line about some white walls!
*classic
Nah wtf
If we get outbid by the Rays on deGrom I’m done being a fan
They outbid LAD, ATL for Freeman
And Freeman decided to go where he won’t ever get a chip despite ownership spending redonkulous money. Kudos to him.
***reportedly outbid. And that would be one FA (1) that the Rays theoretically outbid others on. Let’s not act like this is normal business for the Rays.
Absolutely, but there’s never reports of TB outbidding anyone, let alone a top FA. Is it 100% accurate? Probably. not – but enough reported on it to carry some weight.
That being said, deGrom is not your average free agent, wanting a typical deal. That could be good and bad for them.
The Rays could always use more fans.
Despite all the noise, I bet he returns to NYM. But unless Cohen is unafraid to blow by thresholds and address their roster weaknesses, not sure if that’s best for that team.
They are already over the luxury tax threshold because the franchise is ran like garbage. If the Mets want to field the same team as last year it’s going to cost them about 350 million dollars and that team simply wasn’t good enough.
I know Cohen wanted to win right away but the best think he could do right now is can sandy and billy, then offer a dump truck full of money to click.
[eye roll]
It would be quite possibly the funniest thing ever if the Rays set the record for highest single season salary ever.
That will be what they give Judge after signing DeGrom lol
How many FAs resign , bet percentage not high , once they separate , more often than not find new partners.
” Hey Jake! How about coming down to Tampa. We will give you a 4 year deal. 4/60 with escalators for games played that could bring it to 4/180. What do you think?”
Click….buzzzzzzzzz.
“Jake? Jake? Dang, he hung up on me”
Which would be a fair contract for him with his history. Whoever gives him a guaranteed 45m a year is certifiably insane. Dude’s worth about 15m/yr guaranteed, plus 1m per start IMO..
The two southeast teams the Braves and the Rays surely won’t be offering him the most money, so it will be pretty telling if he ultimately signs with one of those two teams.
Idk though, I just cannot foresee either team even really making a competitive enough offer for DeGrom to even truly consider wanting to stay in Ga/Fla.
That is ESPECIALLY if any team would actually offer him that projected 3yr 135mil deal.
With the Braves having a solid four of Fried, Wright, Strider, and Morton, and then a handful or so of other options for their 5th spot in Muller, Soroka, Anderson, Elder, and eventually Tarnok after a little more AAA seasoning, I cannot see them even going 2yrs with 70-75mil much less that monster 3 year deal MLBTR projects it’ll take to sign him.
Ditto for the Rays, I’d find it alot easier to believe they’d hit the market for a second tier SP like Bassit, who will ultimately sign for significantly less money.
Realistically, I think the battle for DeGrom will mainly come down to the Yankees, Rangers, and the Mets, with maybe a push being made by the Dodgers..idk, but I’d be shocked if he ultimately landed in Atlanta or ESPECIALLY with the Rays..
You forgot the Marlins as a SE team.
@richardc 3/135m would be deranged. Considering the Mets overpaid Scherzer by $53m to get him to NY, and that his real value was around 2/40m to the Dodgers, and that Cole got a 36m AAV, why would anyone pay deGrom even more than that when he projects to give you half their starts, if that?
The difference between giving up 2.2 vs 1.8 runs per game isn’t in the lower figure’s favor once we calculate it’s something like 30 starts at 2.2 runs vs. 15 starts at 1.8 runs
No, I completely agree that 3yr 135mil deal was what the article said they project DeGrom to get…
In my opinion, that would be a HUGE overpay, considering all his health risks..
Split it up however you want, I’d much rather take that 45mil/year, and then sign Haniger or Mancini, Bassit, and maybe Elvis Andrus as a veteran SS to go along with Vaughn Grissom if I’m the Braves..
Idk, exactly what their projections are, but I would imagine you’d likely even still have money left over after that to fill out another bench or bullpen spot as well..
That depth would go a long ways more towards contending for a title rather than just DeGrom, who might likely deal with a few nagging injuries anyways..
Too much risk for that absurd dollar amount…
Why?
de Grom is like a super fast sports car with no gas.
Then there’s no reason the A’s shouldn’t be in on him too. But they won’t even try. I wish John Fisher would go play on the 880 freeway during rush hour
Not liking a gm or owner should never result in wishing someone harm. Toxic
Rays:
“Will you take 1 year $10 million? No? Ok just checking”
A smart GM on a lower/mid ranked team would be in on all of it, driving the price up, up, up……eventually the new money Dodgers,Mets and Rangers will bloat and explode……
Then we actually start signing players…..
This is what Crane did for Verlander. Let everyone know ante is up. Helping him out for the past service. Least I could do for u Justin, since we’re already stacked.
Sure, driving the price up with someone else’s money or money you can’t actually spend, very “smart”. Next time a friend or family member of yours sells a house, make sure you offer them your friendly help to inflate the price.
There is a way to do it, with a specified contract structure, to present the money w/o the commitment. Also, never offer to someone you do not have full confidence in as a player or trade candidate.
Why not? Check in now, Show interest, respect, you will likely be remembered if it comes down to a 1 or 2 year contract late in career like Maddux or Verlander.
Say WHAT!?! I love the rays
I just called Kate Upton. Same thing.
I just saw the part of the article that said TB was willing to offer Freddie Freeman 150 mil for 7 years haha. That is adorable of them.
I never heard of that deal. Can’t imagine that it would have ever transpired.
It happened. Multiple outlets reported last year the rays offered the most money.
lol
I look at this too and immediately realize I don’t think I ever see these articles (despite being true) ever stem from Heyman.
I mean, c’mon John, you don’t think throwing out that the “Rays are interested in ‘x’ top-of-the-market candidate” gets the juices flowing in the big markets?
BTW, who is deGrom’s agent now? Is it still Berry or whoever it was that he went to right after BVW?
Freeman going to the Dodgers where he’ll get to the World Series and lose, is almost as comical as him going to the Angels, where he’s virtually guaranteed to never sniff a World Series, let alone a chip.
Feels like a move they might make to then trade DeGrom at some point within the contract.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
They’re really hoping for that home discount. If they came at him with $35M per, I’d think he’d possibly consider it since he’s close to home and there’s no state tax. The years would have to be there, no trade clause, and probably an opt out or two just in case he changes his mind. Rays aren’t bad, and throw in the fact TG is coming back, that pitching staff would be insane.
@padam I wonder if anyone really is insane enough to guarantee deGrom something like $35m a year for 3 years.
It only really makes sense if you’re a team like the Astros, ie already a lock to win your division. You tell Jake his Spring Training is in July, and he’s tuning up essentially for the postseason. What else would you want him for—to beat the Mariners in the West by 25 games instead of 20?
DeGrom is in even worse shape than Pedro was when the Mets signed him for 4/52m.
He was already close to that number before opting out. Last few starts he had the velocity but the spin wasn’t there due to the blister issue. Way too many sliders being thrown which is why he came out of the gate steaming hot. His fastball lost spin and became a HR if contact was made.
Because he can throw 100+ with a blister, I suspect he’ll get the money. Question is will he sacrifice to be closer to home. I’d think the Braves have a legit shot, and for less, but at the end of the day I think he’s just trying to get the Mets to unload a Brinks truck at his door.
And Degroms agent seen the Tampa Bay Area code and didn’t waste time answering the phone.
Ok, so? Thats like Metsfan22 being “in-contact” with Steve Cohen about being the GM of the team
Eh, why not? A $128M budget club with $60M of that going to one player? That’s good budgeting. That’s good baseball. Very sensible. Very strategically shrewd. These are very sarcastic remarks.
Some teams aren’t looking for anything logical, like an effective budget. They think a championship can be bought, strategized into, logic’d or negotiated for via contracts. Some teams just want to watch conventional wisdom burn.
“Hello?”
“Hello, Jake?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Pete from the Rays here.”
“Pete . . . ?”
“Pete Bendix? GM of the Tampa Bay Rays?”
“Oh . . . right. Hey, Pete.”
“Hey! . . . So, I just thought I’d give you a buzz to let you know that we really think you’re great . . .”
“Well . . . thanks.”
“. . . and we’d really love to have you in our rotation . . .”
“Yeah?”
“. . . but we don’t have the money.”
“Uh . . . okay. Um . . . thanks, Pete.”
“You bet! Just wanted to let you know.”
“Yup.”
“Bye, now.”
“K, bye.”
Sounds about right. If you combine him with Glasnow, you might be able to cover one starting rotation spot for the entire season. Who cares how great you are if you can’t be on the field?
Rays have been in contact with DeGrom…for what? A weekly poker game? Secret Santa? Have a few drinks and see where the evening takes them? It sure can’t be in contact with him for his on-field services; those cost money.
Cope harder.
Why is it more acceptable to make jokes about the Rays offering “1 year, $5 million” than it is to joke about the NY teams offering “3 years, $150 million?” It seems to me the butt if the jokes would be the teams who consistently overpay for players, reset the market, and continue to have nothing to show for it when it comes to on-field results.
Because jokes are acceptable.
Because most commenters here are fans of teams whose successes pale substantially compared to the Rays. Lots of salt and cope here.
“Successes”? Exactly how many trophies does Tampa have in the offices at Tropicana Field? All the “successes” Tampa has equate to those Oakland has collected since the arrival of moneyball to the Bay Area. Zero. Winning a bunch of games on the cheap but not walking away with the World Series after all those Ws amounts to nothing.
Nutting must have taught Sternberg the old “we ALMOST got him” technique.
When pigs fly
Charlotte wrote the recommendation and Wilbur just got accepted into the Air Force Academy.
It’s all over the web.
Assistant Bench Coach
I love the comment section on this one… a bunch of people who don’t know the Rays lol. Will they sign him? 99% probably not, but they made the biggest offer to Freeman, signed glasnow to $25m for one year and really opened the checkbook for Franco. A few years ago the owner also stated he would offer Harper a contract for 1 year / $50m if they felt they were one player away from a championship. This also has a lot to do with the Rays owner being sued by the minority owners over hiding money from them and now they are publicly releasing the profit margin of the Rays and the owner. Will they sign him? No. But this isn’t fake and the Rays come up with all kinds of crazy contract offers and ideas… people acting like this Didn’t happen or they didn’t offer the most money to Freeman just don’t pay attention
…Still not happening…
Like I said… I agree but people acting like it’s ridiculous also just isn’t true. They are putting in formal offers, they were in the freeman talks to the last minute. If freeman would have had a change of heart this whole comment section would be silent
If Freeman and his agent never took the Rays seriously it doesn’t matter how much they outbid other teams. The truth is we don’t know what the primary motives were for Freeman. If he only wanted to play on a team that could come close to guaranteeing a shot at the World Series every year Freeman might have dismissed the Rays as soon as the offer was received.
You can say that, but the Rays historically roll out some of the lowest payrolls year after year in the league. Opening day payroll for 2022 was just under $84M per Cots. That was their highest ever in franchise history. So you can say all you want that they are making offers to various free agents but they don’t land them and their payroll stays low. And their history has been that once players get expensive in arbitration they trade them off for cheaper talent. If this lawsuit brings some public scrutiny on the profitability of the Rays, that is a good thing. Forbes does their best guess estimates annually and the Rays are annually a pretty profitable team. They can afford to spend more, they have chosen in the past to not spend. And until they actually do spend, people have every reason to doubt the sincerity of the Rays efforts in the free agent markets.
signed glasnow to $25m for one year
====================================
No, they didn’t. They signed Glasnow to a 2-year $$30.35M contract, heavily back-loaded. And I would make a modest wager that they will trade him before incurring the full cost.
FWIW, I think it was an ingenious signing since anyone trading for him in 2024, assuming good health, won’t hesitate about the back-loaded portion.
So in 2024 (which would have been a free agent year) will they be paying him $25m? The answer is yes. He was controllable through arb for 23 so who cares what that number is it’s not an extension. The extension which is used as a term of extending a contract after the original would have been expiring is for 1 year and 25 million. But regardless still paying him 25 million for ONE SEASON.
Waste of time even reading this. There is absolutely no chance of this happening unless they plan the use the AAA team along with Degrom
The Rays are too cheap lol, his salary alone would be about 1/3 of the whole teams salary
Not happeningggggg, lol, Jakes $$ would be 1/3 of their payroll, as a Mets fan I would make a lil trade for Glasnow
Yeah DeGrom will sign with the Rays right after pigs fly.
Let’s just face the facts, the Sting Rays ain’t got no $, unless they borrow somebody else’s lunch $!!!
is it April fools already?
The only advantage I see for them is the three-hour drive from his home town. I don’t see them selling out the stadium on a regular basis to offset increasing the payroll by more than 50%.
I checked in on my lottery ticket. I am guessing it’s the same result
Lol, the Rays. Go ahead and join a team that can’t attract fans, play in a big bad of a dome and NEVER will win a World Series with a minor league payroll. That’s funny.
Is this comment coming from a fan of a team who has bloated payrolls and finishes last in the division?
That team with bloated payrolls has two World Series titles in the last decade while the Rays have….?
Sounds like your team gets ripped off pretty frequently to me.
He lives in FL and they usually contend so maybe this is a call to see how much of a discount he’d consider to play near his home. If it’s considerable maybe it’s worth them giving it a shot to get better interest in the team and have people actually go to games.
Maybe if they’re willing to give him a 4 or 5 year deal.. less AAV and more guaranteed money it’s doable. But big risk due to the injury history he has.
That would work. Back-load a 5 year contract, and trade him after two years.
Well, given the current playoff format, there is no guarantee that your Big Boy team is going to make it to the WS so why not sign with the Rays.
I would avoid deGrom – period. Again, I’ll take Rodon & Bassitt over the 22 expensive starts a year you’ll get out of deGrom moving forward.
@30 Parks Same. The Mets are going to have a hard enough time fending off the Phillies even with another $300m payroll, without betting it all on Jake’s scapula and 12 year old TJ surgery.
Every year, the blood flow around the tendon decreases.
I’d consider offering 2/40m with a 500k per start incentive, for starts over 15 per season..
After his abysmal last 5 starts of 2022, I’m far from convinced that even if he can pitch half-time, it will be at anything like his 2020-21 levels.
Agreed, Jack. There are calculated risks, then there are bad ideas. Let someone else pay deGrom.
Rays offer-
2 years at $40mil per. No state income tax. $30mil option year with a $15mil buyout. $20mil signing bonus. 16 team no trade list.
$120 million guaranteed.
Top4 2023 Starting Rotation-
DeGrom
Glas
Shane
Ras
*Correction $115mil guaranteed
You forgot the oppressive humidity and big bugs. Climate matters. To me, it’s more important than state tax. I pay for a good climate.
A good climate when you’re playing in a 72 degree dome? Or a good climate when you’re chilling on America’s #1 beach? I’m confused
Do…do you think the Rays play in a swamp? Or do you think that Florida is a swamp?
Twins should be all over deGrom
Rays play in a AC stadium + if you have a home in Florida treated quarterly for bugs that’s not much or a issue (I have my 1950s Bungalow treated every 3 months). They also have this thing called Central AC for your home. Plus the winters around St Pete is pretty awesome.
Poohey
It ain’t happening
It’s Florida however rays will pay $9 million per start.
So the Rays have joined the Twins in reverse, low-ball bidding for DeGrom’s pending 100 inning seasons.
Click bait. Rays are too cheap to spend on quality players. Ask Longoria and Archer
Chris Archer? I thought we were talking about quality here.
Archer, who was overrated to begin with, has proven to be a roughly average big league pitcher whose best season is scarcely better than DeGrom’s worst.
Moving Archer for younger talent was nothing more than the Rays being aware of a downward trend in effectiveness before age 30.
Breaking: According to sources, the Tampa Bay Rays have offered free agent RHP Jacob deGrom a multi-year contract in the vicinity of $145MM. If agreed upon, the contract will pay deGrom $1MM per year over 129 years with a $15MM signing bonus due upon agreement.
“Rays Have Been In Contact With Jacob deGrom”
—Troublemakers!
They did sign Kluber in order to photograph him from every conceivable angle at 12K and teach his offspeed stuff to the next generation of Rays’ bullpen arms—I wonder if this has anything to do with that kind of shenannigans?.
In related news, the Oakland A’s have reached out to Aaron Judge….