UTK Flash 12/2/22

Jacob deGrom Signs

Jacob deGrom has signed a five-year, $185 million dollar deal with the Rangers that includes a sixth-year option that would make the deal $222 million. That’s a lot, all per Jeff Passan. The key in his note is that the physical has been passed. The Rangers team doctor is Dr. Keith Meister and he would no doubt have been the lead on this.

DeGrom has had some complex medical issues, with his elbow and shoulder. Just the scapula fracture alone would necessitate a very serious look and a lot of images, plus comparisons to any previous images. You’d have to think that the Mets - and Dr. David Altchek and Dr. James Paci - would know the file and the patient as well as anyone, and still the Rangers had the biggest deal, we have to assume.

Passing the physical was always, in my opinion, going to be the toughest part. The issues are mostly known for deGrom, with the current condition of his UCL and rotator cuff being keys. Did the scapula heal? Yes. Did the flexor strain heal well? Yes. At least that’s what his pitching has said, when healthy.

The question was not whether there would be findings, but would a team’s doctor look an owner in the eye and say “Yes, I’ll tell you that this contract and that number is a good value, given what I saw.” Meister did and for the next five, maybe six years, we’ll see whether that bold statement bears out.

More on this soon.