Jacob deGrom leaves Mets, signs with Rangers in free agency; five-year deal reportedly worth $185 million

Right-handed starter Jacob deGrom has agreed to a five-year contract with the Texas Rangers, the club announced on Friday night. No financial terms were disclosed by the organization, but MLB.com’s Kennedi Landry reports that the deal is worth $185 million.

DeGrom, 34, was ranked by CBS Sports as the second-best free agent available this winter. Here’s what we wrote at the time:

It reads oddly given deGrom’s excellent track record, but he might be the biggest risk-reward proposition in the class. He’s been one of the best pitchers in the sport since he debuted in 2014, of course, amassing two Cy Young Awards and four All-Star Games appearances along the way. There’s no questioning his legacy, or his ability to throw a baseball with great efficacy when he’s healthy — therein lies the rub: how often will he be healthy heading forward? Injuries have limited deGrom to 26 starts over the last two seasons, and he’s now a half-year shy of turning 35. Pitchers do not tend to stay healthier as they age. Seeing as how deGrom opted out of a one-year pact that would have paid him $32.5 million, it’s likely that he’s seeking a deal with an AAV closer to the $43 million Max Scherzer received last winter. Someone will undoubtedly pony up for a chance at adding a bonafide ace to their rotation, but they may end up experiencing buyer’s remorse if deGrom’s body continues to fail to comply.

This marks the second consecutive offseason the Rangers have made a splash, following last winter’s signings of two of the top position players available in Marcus Semien and Corey Seager. Texas made waves earlier in the winter, albeit on a small magnitude, by hiring three-time World Series champion Bruce Bochy as manager.

“We are thrilled that Jacob deGrom has decided to become a Texas Ranger,” Rangers Executive Vice President and General Manager Chris Young said in a press release. “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. I also want to recognize our ownership group, led by Ray Davis, for continuing to provide the resources to build a winning culture here in Arlington. On behalf of the entire organization, I welcome Jacob, his wife Stacey, and the entire deGrom family to the Rangers.”

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