Two-time National League Cy Young Award winner and four-time All-Star Jacob deGrom rejected the qualifying offer Tuesday, and is now a free agent, free to sign with any team.
The New York Mets are the betting favorites to retain their ace, but where could deGrom go, if he were to sign with another team on the open market?
Here are five potential free agent landing spots for deGrom:
1) New York Yankees — If the Yankees want to make a splash to help get over the hump and win their first American League Pennant since 2009, plucking deGrom from New York’s other baseball team would be one way to increase their chances of returning to the World Series.
2) Los Angeles Dodgers — After Tyler Anderson rejected the qualifying offer and signed with the Los Angeles Angels, the Dodgers have an opening in their rotation, and deGrom would be a nice get.
3) Philadelphia Phillies — The Phillies had the fourth-highest payroll in baseball in 2022, reaching the World Series. Pitching depth was a weakness for the Phillies, however. Executive Dave Dombrowski could take a page from Ruben Amaro Jr.’s playbook and stack his rotation with aces. The 2011 Phillies had Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels and Roy Oswalt, three of whom received NL Cy Young votes. Imagine a 1-2-3 of deGrom, Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola, with Ranger Suarez as a no. 4.
4) Texas Rangers — Pitching is a clear need for a team that appears to be itching to spend some more green, after shelling out a combined $500 million to Corey Seager and Marcus Semien last December, and deGrom is among the best pitchers available on the open market.
5) San Francisco Giants — The Giants are another team rumored to spend this winter, having been linked to Aaron Judge. They will need to replace Carlos Rodon, and the prospect of pitching at AT&T Park, one of the most pitcher-friendly parks in baseball, could be appealing to deGrom.
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