Mets, deGrom Agree to $137.5 million, 5-Year Deal

Mets Ace Jacob DeGrom will ink a five-year extension with the club. David Santiago/Miami Herald via AP, File.

By Ronald Blum

NL Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom and the New York Mets have agreed to a $137.5 million, five-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. The deal guarantees an additional $120.5 million over four seasons.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity Tuesday because the agreement was subject to a successful physical.

The Mets and deGrom had agreed in January to a $17 million, one-year deal, and he was on track to be eligible for free agency after the 2020 season.

His new deal calls for a $10 million signing bonus, half to be paid in January 2020 and the rest in January 2021. He gets a $7 million salary this season, $23 million in 2020, $33.5 million each in 2021 and 2022 and $30.5 million in 2023. The Mets have a $32.5 million option for 2024.

DeGrom has the right to opt out of the deal after the 2022 season and become a free agent.

A right-hander who turns 31 in June, deGrom had a 1.70 ERA last year yet went 10-9. He allowed three runs or fewer in 29 consecutive starts to close the season, but the Mets were 11-18 in those games.

DeGrom is 55-41 with a 2.67 ERA in five big league seasons. Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen represented the two-time All-Star as co-head of CAA Baseball before the team hired him last year.

New York reached the deal with deGrom following an agreement between Chris Sale and Boston announced Saturday that adds $145 million from 2020-24 and raised the total for the left-hander to $160 million over six years. Sale, who turns 30 this weekend, has been an All-Star the last seven years and would have been eligible for free agency after this season.