deGrom Strider

[Edgy MD]

Reporting today (or maybe yesterday) suggests there was nearly a deadline deal between Atlanta and Texas featuring Jacob deGrom and Spencer Strider as the principals, prevented only by deGrom exercising his no-trade clause.

Whatever rational arguments for or against such a deal, at a visceral level, that might have really been a kick in the nuts.

deGrom was widely reported to be vaguely part of discussions at the time, but the to-Atlanta-straight-up-for-Strider business is all new, as is the suggestion that it was a fait accompli until the deGrom refusal.

Oddly, it was initially merely a side note in a Mark Feinsand column filler story about off-season trade candidates, but kind of blew up in Braves, Rangers, and Mets quarters.

[Frayed Knot]

It's an interesting challenge trade if it were straight up.

Strider is a full decade younger but has been injured more often than deGrom lately [32 starts in '23, then 33 combined since v 58 starts for JdG over '25 & '26]. Both are under control for '27 & '28 with the Braves having a team option on Strider for '29 while JdG's 2028 is a mutual option. deGrom is more expensive but also closer to the putting green.

What this signals to me is that the Braves are already looking past Strider. They tend to pass on players in their '30s more than most teams (he turns 30 in winter '28 - '29) so, to them, they likely viewed this solely through the window of Strider's next two seasons vs JdG's and were willing to pull the plug early.

Not quite so sure why Texas was keen on this.  I guess it's the idea of saving money plus getting a third year (2029) from Strider if he bounces back vs likely diminishing returns from deGrom over the next two seasons.