NEW YORK -- Jacob deGrom's goal of signing a long-term contract at least gained some direction this week when deGrom agreed to stay with CAA as his agency. A source said that Jeff Berry, a co-head of CAA, will take over deGrom's account from Brodie Van Wagenen, who left the agency on Oct. 29 to become the Mets' general manager.
That does not mean the Mets have a better or worse chance to sign deGrom, who is arbitration-eligible this offseason and under team control for two more years. But at least now Van Wagenen knows whom to call.
"The goal is to continue to keep an open dialogue, and just kind of continue to see where things go," deGrom said Wednesday, after winning the National League Cy Young Award. "We'll just have to see what happens. That's kind of my outlook on it."
The Mets have never seriously engaged deGrom about a contract extension, and that has yet to change this offseason. But Van Wagenen has expressed interest in at least exploring the possibility with deGrom, who was once his star client.
"This is the only team I've played for," deGrom said. "I've really enjoyed my time with the Mets. They've been nothing but good to me. The fans have been great to me. It's pretty much an open communication. We'll just continue to keep it that way and continue to have a good relationship with them, either way that this thing goes."