5 worst free agent destinations for Jacob deGrom if he leaves

Anywhere but the New York Mets is probably the worst place Jacob deGrom could end up next season. Fully expected to opt out this winter, Mets fans might be witnessing the final days for deGrom in orange and blue.

What would be the worst place for him to land? These five teams might be the ultimate nightmare scenario.

5) Mets fans don’t want Jacob deGrom signing with the Astros

The Houston Astros aren’t direct rivals with the Mets even if they’ve been twin teams throughout history. Each franchise came into existence back in 1962 and they went to battle in the 1986 NLCS back when the Astros were still in the National League.

deGrom ending up with the Astros would be a high-profile addition for them and a noteworthy one Mets fans would fear simply because we’ve seen a similar thing happen before. Justin Verlander was traded by the Detroit Tigers to the Astros a few years ago. They gave him a sip from their Fountain of Youth and he has been one of the best pitchers in baseball ever since.

It wouldn’t affect the Mets much in the standings outside of the times they actually play each other. With it already being an easy guess that the Astros and Mets could meet in the 2023 World Series, the pain of watching deGrom take down his former club alongside Verlander would be incredibly painful—regardless of whether or not he just helped New York win in the previous season.

deGrom seems exactly like the type of star pitcher the Astros would pay in a similar way the Mets brought in Max Scherzer this past offseason. The team actually has some younger and more affordable starting pitchers they can roll with behind the pair. Given their recent success of catapulting guys like Gerrit Cole from middling starters to aces, we shouldn’t count them out from accomplishing the same with another more seasoned veteran.

Watching deGrom excel anywhere but in Flushing would hurt. The Astros might hurt only a little bit less than these last four teams.

3) Mets fans don’t want Jacob deGrom signing with the Yankees

Anytime a player goes from the Mets to the New York Yankees or vice versa people are going to talk about it. It’s some of the best and most annoying sports radio talk fodder around the trade deadline and during the offseason. How many hypothetical trades have fans come up with over the centuries for these two clubs to make?

Free agency is a little different. Players can choose to switch uniforms. In the history of both clubs, it has happened often enough.

Depending on where the Yankees finish could determine whether or not they even need a high-level pitcher of deGrom’s caliber on the roster. Their rotation does have some areas they could improve. With Jameson Taillon also set to hit free agency, there’s an automatic place for deGrom to fill in.

It would seem that deGrom is chasing dollars this offseason with the declaration months ago that he would use his opt-out. Mets owner Steve Cohen would probably prefer to not get outbid for deGrom’s services by the Yankees. However, if Hal Steinbrenner channels his father, it’s exactly what they will do.

deGrom staying in New York but pitching for a different time would surely anger some fans. There are still two teams we’d like to see him sign with less.

2) Mets fans don’t want Jacob deGrom signing with the Phillies

Luckily, deGrom really isn’t much of a fit for the Philadelphia Phillies next year. They will have a lot of money owed to starting pitchers Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola. Their team is full of larger contracts and to pay the well over $30 million AAV deGrom will get just pins them down.

Still, we wouldn’t be covering all of the bases without mentioning the Phillies. Who would have thought that longtime Washington Nationals enemy Bryce Harper would have ended up with them? It almost seems like he has always been a member of their ball club at this point.

The Phillies might be the most hated team in baseball for Mets fans. It’s a geography thing. Philadelphia and New York are proximal enough where you probably encounter fans of those teams regularly. It’s a big reason why Mets fans and Yankees fans don’t like each other. Every subway ride includes at least a few of both.

There is only a slim chance the Phillies would end up with deGrom on their roster in 2023. It’s not a wise move for them nor does it fit in with what they need most. Maybe because of how unlikely it would be, deGrom landing in Philadelphia would be the most infuriating.

More logically, he could sign with those club that would be the most nightmarish of all.

1) Mets fans don’t want Jacob deGrom signing with the Braves

Months ago, it was loosely reported that the Atlanta Braves were an early favorite to sign deGrom in the offseason. This felt more like speculation the same way anyone can connect dots. Legitimate or not, those dots are easy to draw lines between.

The Braves do not have an incredibly massive payroll. They’ve been wise about locking up their young core players. With Vaughn Grissom’s development, they may even be able to let Dansby Swanson walk away in the offseason and not lose talent at shortstop.

The pitching staff, meanwhile, remains a young and talented one yet absent of a veteran ace like deGrom. Guys like Max Fried, Kyle Wright, and Mike Soroka have bright futures. What they don’t have is a pitcher as dangerous as deGrom which is probably why they remain a realistic destination.

It also helps Atlanta to have their proximity close to deGrom’s home state of Florida. It’s a slight advantage for him to be closer to home.

What will be most important for deGrom in free agency is to make up for some lost time and dollars. With a lifetime salary of $117 million with all of this year’s $35.5 million awarded to him, it’s quite lower than one might expect for a player of his abilities.

deGrom will be chasing dollars this offseason and likely only a small number of teams will be willing to pay him the $40-50 million per season he’ll seek.  The Mets will be right there in any contract battle for him. The Braves could be, too.