5 times the Wilpon Family were not cheap

deGrom signs 2nd biggest contract in Mets history

Move into 2019 and we have the last time the Wilpon family spent some money. Just before the start of the season, the Mets reached a contract extension with the reigning Cy Young Award winner in Jacob deGrom. deGrom was still under contract through 2020 but, the Mets decided to extend their ace right after he won the Cy Young award.

At the end of March 2019, deGrom signed a 5-year extension worth 137.5 million. It can also grow up to $170 million if the Mets pick up a team option for a sixth year. deGrom's former agent and then Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen, locked up the Cy Young winner just a few months after taking over. While he was deGrom's agent he made a comment about how the Mets should either extend deGrom or trade him, so when he became the general manager he took the matters into his own hands and extended him.

At the time of the extension, deGrom had the second-biggest contract in Mets history. It was the same amount of money as Santana and just $500k short of Wright's extension.

That 2019 season that started up right after the Mets extended their ace was deGroms first year of the extension at it took over his contract at the time. The Wilpon's decision to spend on deGrom paid off immediately as he went on to win the Cy Young award for the second straight year.

Although deGrom was unable to win his third in a row in the shortened 2020 season, he still ended up finishing third in Cy Young voting. 2021 he was on pace for one of the greatest pitching seasons in the history of the game before going down with an injury. Despite only starting 15 games, he still posted a 1.08 ERA in 92 innings and finished 9th in Cy Young voting while being named an All-Star.

It is hard to fully judge if the Wilpons decision to spend was good or not as the full contract has not concluded yet, but so far it appears to be money well spent. deGrom won the Cy Young his first year, finished third the next, and was well on his way to another one before getting hurt in 2021. So long he stays healthy and can even be 80% of the pitcher he is when fully healthy, it should be the best money spent for the Wilpons in their tenure as owners.

The Wilpon family had always been hesitant to break the bank and when they did, it did not always work out the best for them. Spending on deGrom and Beltran worked out well for the most part, but spending on Santana, Wright, and Cespedes was not as good. It is not like the Wilpons spent money on players that just didn't perform, they all got hurt and could not physically play.