Jacob deGrom Rumors: Mets Will Try to Re-Sign Star to Contract That's 'Within Reason'

The biggest question surrounding the New York Mets after the disappointing failure to win the NL East and a quick exit out of the playoffs at the hands of the San Diego Padres is whether the team will be able to keep the band together.

Players like ace Jacob deGrom—who has hinted at opting out of his contract—closer Edwin Díaz and a whole slew of their rotation and bullpen arms are set to hit free agency.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported Monday that "word out of Mets camp is that club owner Steve Cohen and his baseball people will indeed try to re-sign deGrom but aim to do it within reason, which should be the case with 99 percent of desirable free agents anyway."

The question, of course, is what the Mets will deem to be reasonable and how that will compare to the offers deGrom receives on the market.

Heyman asked three agents to predict what deGrom might receive in free agency, with one saying three years and $125 million (plus incentives), another going with three years and $140-145 million and the third saying five years and $225 million.

When healthy, deGrom is arguably the best pitcher in baseball. He's a two-time Cy Young winner and four-time All-Star who was 5-4 in 11 starts this season with a 3.08 ERA, 0.75 WHIP and 102 strikeouts in 64.1 innings.

But deGrom only made 15 starts last year and missed 13 months with various arm ailments. He also had Tommy John surgery in the past. There is the possibility of very real buyer's remorse if the 34-year-old star struggles to stay healthy during his next deal.

Still, the highs with deGrom are incredibly high. Four seasons with 200 or more strikeouts. Six seasons with an ERA under 3.00. Two seasons under 2.00 (albeit one of them his shortened 2021 campaign).

He posted absurd numbers before injuries derailed what would've been a historic season last year (7-2 with a 1.08 ERA, 0.55 WHIP and 146 strikeouts in 92 innings).

It isn't easy to find superstar talents for a rotation, so it seems likely that at least one team will be willing to break the bank to land him. And it only takes that one offer to raise his market value.

The Mets will have to decide what their price is and if it's reasonable to lose one of the best pitchers in baseball with such a strong core already in place, injury concerns and all.