November 18, 2025 — New York, NY

The New York Yankees have taken their most aggressive step of the offseason, reaching a verbal agreement to sign two-time Cy Young winner Jacob deGrom, according to multiple league sources. The one-year pact — expected to exceed $30 million with performance escalators — is pending final medical review but marks one of the most seismic pitching acquisitions in recent Yankees history.

And yes — it sends a thunderous message across town to Queens.

The Yankees entered the winter searching for answers after a painful ALDS exit at the hands of the Toronto Blue Jays. But rather than retreat, the front office decided to swing big. Really big.

deGrom, who spent the prime of his career dominating for the New York Mets, instantly transforms the Yankees’ rotation into one of the scariest groups in baseball. If finalized, New York would open 2026 with a projected top three of:

Gerrit Cole (returning from Tommy John),

Max Fried,

Jacob deGrom — a trio with a combined four Cy Young Awards and 12 All-Star appearances.

“This is the Yankees doing Yankees things,” one AL executive said. “If the deal gets signed, it’s the biggest rotation flex in the league.”

The move is also being widely viewed as a direct counterpunch to the Mets, who gutted the Yankees last offseason by acquiring Juan Soto. deGrom, still beloved in Queens, was the face of the Mets franchise for nearly a decade. For many Mets fans, losing him to the Bronx would feel like the ultimate sting.

This past season, deGrom delivered elite production again:
12–8 record, 2.97 ERA, 185 strikeouts, and a 0.921 WHIP over 172 innings, numbers that would immediately vault the Yankees’ staff into contention for MLB’s best.

Insiders say the Yankees were drawn not only to deGrom’s on-field dominance but also to the urgency he brings to a clubhouse desperate to turn postseason heartbreak into a deep October run. The front office reportedly sees him as the stabilizing force needed behind Cole and Fried as the team braces for a season full of expectations — and pressure.

One source close to the Yankees front office said:

“This isn’t just a baseball move. It’s a statement.
It’s the Yankees telling the sport that the ALDS collapse did not break them — it woke them up.”

The verbal agreement has already electrified Yankees Universe, with fans flooding social media celebrating the potential formation of a “super rotation.” ESPN Analytics noted that if the signing becomes official, New York would leap into the top tier of World Series projections.

The Mets, meanwhile, have yet to comment — but industry insiders expect sharp reactions, especially given deGrom’s legendary status in Queens.

If finalized in the coming days, the signing could go down as one of the defining moments of the Yankees’ offseason — and perhaps the move that reshapes the balance of power in New York baseball for years to come.

And for the Mets?
This one would hurt. Badly.