OPENING DAY SALVO
deGrom puts Mets on notice, sets deadline to get a new deal done
PORT ST. LUCIE — Jacob deGrom is putting the Mets on the clock.
After a winter of inactivity in long-term contract discussions, the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner has informed team officials he will not negotiate a new deal during the season, an industry source told The Post on Tuesday. DeGrom’s camp has set Opening Day as the deadline to complete any potential long-term deal.
Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen initially declined comment, but he changed course after The Post report was published online and addressed the issue following a voluntary workout by players on the reporting date for pitchers and catchers at First Data Field.
Van Wagenen called the decision not to negotiate beyond Opening Day as “mutual” between him and deGrom’s CAA agent, Jeff Berry.
“There is no reason for a distraction to carry into the regular season, and we will continue to have dialogue over this spring and see where those discussions lead ,” Van Wagenen said. “But the last thing either side wants is this to be a distraction once the season starts.”
The 30-year-old deGrom can become a free-agent after the 2020 season and is seeking a contract that would buy out his remaining arbitration year and extend his agreement with the club long term.
Berry recently released a memo that outlined recourse for players who seek free- agency reform, following two historically slow markets. Among the ideas suggested by Berry was t hat pl ayers could look to cap their workloads in a season to ensure their value remains at a higher level heading to free agency. And a source indicated deGrom could put such restrictions on himself if a new deal isn’t reached with the Mets.
Berry, in his memo, accused MLB front offices of“we a po ni zing” aging curves and usage rates against players. He indicated the MLB Players Association should implement a “player first” strategy that would outsource a comprehensive study that analytically supports recommended guidelines for player usage for the stated purpose of maximizing health and performance, maintaining and improving tools and athleticism and mitigating age- and usage-related decline.
“Front off ices are praised as‘ smart’ when working within the rules to extract maximum performance value for such minimal monetary cost,” Berry wrote in the memo. “Shouldn’t players also be ‘smart’ and likewise make calculated decisions within the rules to maintain and extend their maximum performance levels at maximum monetary values?”
DeGrom earned a record raise in arbitration last month — and will receive $17 million in 2019 — after pitching to a major league-leading 1.70 ERA last season and becoming the fourth player in franchise history to win the Cy Young Award. DeGrom earned $7.4 million last season in his second year of arbitration.
It ’s expected deGrom is seeking a deal that would place him in the $30 million neighborhood annually, at least close to what pitchers such as Max Scherzer, David Price and Zack Greinke have received in recent years.
“From my standpoint, Jacob, we care about him and he knows we care about him,” Van Wagenen said. “He knows how important he is to the organization and it will be my job to make sure there is no strained relationship no matter what takes place.”
Van Wag en en rec used himself from salary arbitration negotiations this offseason, but indicated he will be involved in deGrom’s contract discussions.
“For a decision that is going to impact our short- and longterm future as much as Jacob will, then I will be involved in that process,” Van Wagenen said.