New York Mets ace Jacob deGrom is suddenly not feeling too optimistic about a possible contract extension prior to Opening Day.
Suddenly, as it pertains to his possible contract extension, the ace expresses far less optimism than usual.
Back on March 12, New York Mets starting pitcher Jacob deGrom showcased optimism. Everything coming out of his mouth had Mets fandom feeling like a pre-Opening Day extension was possible. After all, Opening Day remains the dreaded “deadline” put forth by the deGrom camp.
On Saturday, with just days remaining until Opening Day, dark times have arrived, via Mike Puma of the New York Post.
“Honestly, I really have been trying not to think about it,” deGrom said after pitching three perfect innings against the Braves in a final Grapefruit League appearance. “Yeah, I said I wanted to get something done, but it’s getting close to Opening Day and I think my focus is on that right now.”
“Probably not as [optimistic],” he said Saturday.
The defending NL Cy Young award recipient expressed these thoughts following three perfect innings against the Atlanta Braves, his final spring training tuneup prior to Opening Day.
deGrom, 30, is coming off an all-world season. In 217 total innings, he struck out 269 batters while pitching to an insane 1.70 ERA and 0.912 WHIP. His numbers far surpassed his median output across the board over his first four seasons in big-league baseball.
There really isn’t much he can say at this point in time.
“But I don’t know where it’s going to end up,” he said. “You see guys signing and I think I see them too, so I guess we wait.”
When asked about the recent extensions of Chris Sale and Justin Verlander, deGrom again kept it professional.
“He’s a little bit closer to free agency so I would have to sit down with my agents again and go over some things to really fully understand where we would like to be,” deGrom said when asked about the Boston Red Sox ace.
Credit Jacob deGrom for remaining completely professional and cool throughout the entire process. Despite his obvious inner frustrations, he’s acting like a man who deserves that extension immediately.
“I said I would like to be a Met long term,” deGrom said. “I have really enjoyed playing here so we’ll have to see where it goes. I am not going to get into any details of anything, but I don’t know where it’s going to go.”
