Jacob deGrom is back.
The New York Mets ace has fought through multiple injury issues over the past few years.
Last season, he was shut down due to elbow troubles.
This year, he was shut down at the end of spring training after suffering a stress reaction in his right shoulder.
But all of that seems like a distant memory now.
deGrom will make his season debut against the Washington Nationals on Tuesday night after the trade deadline.
Finally, the Mets will be able to have him and Max Scherzer together in the same rotation.
But according to Mets insider Tim Healey, it appears that even after all the injury struggles, deGrom has a plan to opt out of his contract at the end of the season.
Jacob deGrom says he still plans to opt out of his contract after this season.
— Tim Healey (@timbhealey) July 31, 2022
deGrom Still Planning To Opt Out
Now that deGrom is back, the Mets may not have much longer with him.
It’s unfortunate that they’ve missed all of this time with him.
But with deGrom planning to opt out of his contract, his future with the Mets is uncertain.
They may not try and bring him back when he hits free agency.
Regardless, he’ll be a hot commodity in the offseason for teams who are looking for starters.
deGrom is 34, so he may not get a huge contract offer at this point in his career.
It’s possible he could bet on himself and seek a shorter-term deal in free agency.
But this could be it for him in a Mets uniform.
It’ll be interesting to see how he pitches down the stretch and whether or not the Mets will ultimately choose to try and bring him back.
If this is it for deGrom in a Mets uniform, he’ll walk away with a Rookie of the Year Award and two NL Cy Young Awards.
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