MLB trade rumors: Why Yankees match up best with Mets for Jacob deGrom

The New York Mets have to decide if they want to trade ace Jacob deGrom, who leads the majors with a 1.68 ERA, before the July 31, 2018 (7/31/18) non-waiver deadline. If they do, expect Yankees general manager Brian Cashman to make a run at the 30-year-old right-hander.

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From the best of the best to the worst of the worst.

That’s life in a nutshell for Mets ace Jacob deGrom.

After pitching one inning in the 2018 MLB All-Star Game (and giving up a solo home run to Angels outfielder Mike Trout), deGrom returns to the last-place Mets for a weekend Subway Series with the Yankees.

DeGrom is slated to face Masahiro Tanaka in the series finale on Sunday at Yankee Stadium.

But if deGrom’s agent has his way, deGrom could soon call the Bronx home.

Brodie van Wagenen, the agent for deGrom, basically gave the Mets an ultimatum: sign him to a long-term deal or trade him before the July 31st non-waiver deadline.

If the Mets blow up their roster and trade deGrom, who leads the majors with a 1.68 ERA, plenty of contenders will make a run at the 30-year-old right-hander.

CBS Sports’ Jim Bowden, a former big league GM, thinks the Yankees match up best with the Mets for a deal involving deGrom:

The Mets would love the package to start with Gleyber Torres, but that’s not happening.  However, to get deGrom they would have to include third baseman Miguel Andujar as the headliner; one of their top young starters from the group of Domingo German, Justus Sheffield or Jonathan Loaisiga; and one of their two young outfielders, Clint Frazier or Estevan Florial. That’s a steep price to pay, but imagine Luis Severino and Jacob deGrom each getting two starts in a seven-game series.  It certainly would position them a lot better against American League postseason teams that have superior starting rotations, including the Houston Astros, Cleveland Indians and Boston Red Sox. Of course, the big question is: Would Mets ownership allow the front office to trade with the cross-town Yankees? Many doubt that. But I’m not one of them, especially if they can pry away a package of this magnitude. Remember, they only control deGrom for two more seasons after this year.

Yankees keep ’em or dump ’em

Following the Yankees, Bowden lists the Dodgers, Braves, Cardinals, Brewers, Angels and A’s as teams with the best matches for deGrom.

According to Spotrac, deGrom is arbitration eligible in 2019 and 2020, and won’t be a free agent until 2021.

Mike Rosenstein may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @rosenstein73. Find NJ.com on Facebook.