Revenge is a dish best served cold, and one New York Yankees analyst believes he has found the perfect retribution after the New York Mets stole Juan Soto right from under their noses in the offseason.

“Any Mets fan who these days will tell you that Juan Soto leaving the Yankees shouldn’t be a big deal, considering he spent only one year in the Bronx, while also telling you at the exact same time that stealing Soto is the greatest moment of their lives to date,” FanSided’s Adam Weinrib wrote. “It sure would be nice to shut those folks up with a franchise history-shaking counter-move.”

While third base remains a massive need, the Yankees are also in the market for rotation upgrades at this year’s trade deadline. As such, Weinrib thinks the club should target current Texas Rangers ace and former New York Mets star Jacob deGrom in a move that would rile up their crosstown rivals’ fan base.

“We all saw that smirk on deGrom’s face at Yankee Stadium when the Rangers came to visit and he locked eyes with Aaron Judge,” Weinrib wrote. “We also all see his 2.42 ERA and 0.963 WHIP in 11 starts. He turns 37 years old in mid-June. Do the Rangers believe in absorbing his age-38 and 39 seasons? Shouldn’t it be easier for the Yankees to stomach them, now that Soto and his .220 average aren’t clogging their books?”

deGrom was perhaps the game’s best pitcher throughout his nine seasons with the Mets from 2014 to 2022, recording a 2.52 ERA with a 2.62 FIP, 10.9 strikeouts per nine and 0.998 WHIP in 209 starts and 1,326 innings. Over that stretch, he won National League Rookie of the Year and two Cy Young Awards while also making four All-Star teams.

Much to the chagrin of Mets fans, he left the team in December 2022 after agreeing to a five-year, $185 million deal with the Rangers. Texas won the World Series in his first season as a member of the organization, but he didn’t pitch beyond April 28 after undergoing the second Tommy John surgery of his career.

deGrom returned to the majors in September 2024 and logged a 1.69 ERA in 10 2/3 innings, allowing him to get his feet wet before being fully reintegrated this year.

Through 12 outings and 69 1/3 frames, the soon-to-be 37-year-old has a 2.34 ERA and 3.64 FIP with 66 punch outs. He’s no longer in his prime, but deGrom remains a bona fide ace and would instantly become one of the top available players at the deadline if the Rangers, who are 29-32, decide to sell.

deGrom gave quite the audition at Yankee Stadium on May 21, allowing just two runs over seven innings while striking out nine. He’s a perfect fit next to Max Fried and Carlos Rodón atop the club’s rotation, but they have to be courteous of the financial commitment it would take to acquire him.

“The fly in the ointment is that deGrom still has 2.5 years left of his $37 million AAV contract, and the Yankees would be responsible for $18.5 million if they acquired him at this year’s deadline,” Weinrib wrote. “They gave themselves about ~$10 million worth of luxury tax wiggle room, and don’t have much more salary to shed (except Trent Grisham’s $5 million, but that would make no sense).”

Furthermore, deGrom comes with significant durability concerns. He hasn’t made over 15 starts since 2019, and he hasn’t topped 92 innings in a single season over that timeframe either.

While deGrom would undoubtedly bring a wave of excitement to the Bronx and make Mets fans feel some type of way, there’s likely more practical options out there for the Yankees to pursue.

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