The long-term future of New York Mets ace Jacob deGrom seemingly will be a talking point among some for a second consecutive weekend.
It's expected that deGrom will opt out of his contract following the season, and recent reports from ESPN's Buster Olney and SNY's Andy Martino suggest the 34-year-old could ultimately sign elsewhere. Martino later noted that deGrom and the Mets may need to address "a few micro-aggressions" before they consider extending their relationship beyond the current campaign.
Of course, deGrom isn't the only New York baseball star who could find himself playing in a different city in 2023. As things stand today, New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge is set to hit free agency after the season.
While Judge is a legitimate Most Valuable Player candidate ahead of the All-Star break, deGrom still hasn't pitched in an MLB game since July 7, 2021, because of injury setbacks. Most recently, the two-time National League Cy Young Award winner has missed all of this season because of a stress reaction in the scapula of his pitching shoulder.
For a Friday SNY mailbag, Martino was asked about the possibility of deGrom and Judge possibly switching teams during the offseason. The Mets aren't expected to pursue Judge, and Martino noted that his "educated hunch" is that "the Yankees are as worried about committing to deGrom as many other teams."
That last part serves as a reminder the first-place Mets and deGrom desperately need each other over the second half of the season. The Mets are looking to do more than simply qualify for the playoffs, and deGrom will want to reclaim his best form and also prove he can stay healthy for a few months en route to ideally cashing in with either the Amazins or a different organization.
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