Mets: Jacob deGrom’s return soured by pitcher’s stance on future

Jacob deGrom is set to rejoin the New York Mets rotation on Tuesday with a start but the star pitcher isn’t easing fans’ worries about this offseason.

Here’s the good news for the New York Mets: Jacob deGrom is back and will make his first major league start in several months on Tuesday for the leaders in the NL East. That will undeniably be a huge boost for a team that is not just looking at winning the division but also at making a deep postseason run.

After whatever happens in the playoffs for New York is where the bad news potentially lies for the club and fans.

Speaking with the media on Sunday ahead of his return, deGrom was asked about his offseason intentions as he has a major contract decision looming. The Mets ace stated that his plans hadn’t changed and he still plans to opt out of the 2023 year on his current contract and hit free agency this coming offseason, per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com.

 Mets: Jacob deGrom return doesn’t erase uncertain future in New York

When he makes the decision to opt out, deGrom is immediately going to be one of the most coveted free agents in recent memory. Even in his mid-30s and with a bit of a troubling recent injury history, he remains an elite pitcher that almost any club able to will be trying to break the bank for.

The Mets will surely work to re-sign deGrom because, well, they’d be foolish not to, particularly given their recent all-in type of approach to the roster. But with competition to land the starting pitcher, it might not be as simple as just giving him a substantial raise on a new contract.

So while deGrom returning is undeniably positive for the Mets as it pertains to the 2022 season, the future of the ace in New York is a dark cloud looming over that. There’s a chance that these could be the last few starts for him in a Mets uniform, something fans won’t be able to forget about over the final couple of months of the season.