MLB Insider Rips Rangers for Jacob deGrom Contract

Jacob deGrom hasn't even thrown a pitch for the Texas Rangers yet, but they're already drawing criticism for inking him to a five-year, $185 million contract this winter.

With the fragile deGrom already dealing with soreness at the start of Spring Training, at least one MLB insider believes deGrom was the worst free-agent signing of the offseason.

Jacob deGrom Rangers

The insider claimed that he would rather have two years of Justin Verlander -- who just turned 40 -- than five years of deGrom, who's 34.

Given deGrom's recent injury history, it's a fair position to take. Since the beginning of 2020, deGrom has made just 38 starts and thrown 224 1/3 innings. Verlander, on the other hand, logged 28 starts and 175 innings in 2022 alone despite being considerably older.

Considering that deGrom hasn't thrown 100 innings since 2019, it's fair to wonder if his body can still hold up for a full season. The fact that he's already battling issues before the campaign has even started is hardly an encouraging sign.

As the Boston Red Sox have seen with Chris Sale, nothing's worse than paying a ton of money for a pitcher who's constantly hurt. The Rangers can only hope they avoid a similar fate with deGrom, who could end up being a very costly mistake.