Now that Jacob deGrom has shaken the top of the MLB free agency market for starting pitchers, teams still looking to improve their staff are turning to others, such as Justin Verlander and Jameson Taillon.
The latest baseball free agency rumors focus in on Taillon as the former New York Yankees starting pitcher is beginning to generate a high amount of interest among multiple MLB organizations.
With the Yankees still working their way through the Aaron Judge negotiations, it would appear Taillon could be up for grabs as a free agent.
Related: 4 Jacob deGrom replacements New York Mets are rumored to sign in MLB free agency
New York Mets and Texas Rangers eyeing Jameson Taillon
Two teams most recently linked to the former No. 2 overall pick include the New York Mets and Texas Rangers, ironically.
Yet, according to MLB Network’s Jon Heyman, these two teams are just some of “many” who are pursuing the 31-year-old right-handed pitcher.
It’s fascinating that the Rangers and Mets of all teams would be mentioned for Taillon’s services. Texas just nabbed deGrom, but clearly, they’re not done solidifying their starting rotation. New York’s interest isn’t hard to understand with an urgent need to replace deGrom’s inning production.
- Jameson Taillon stats in 2022: 3.91 ERA, 177.1 IP, 151 SO, 1.128 WHIP
Taillon, even at his best, may not come close to performing up to the levels deGrom was capable of, but he’s also expected to be significantly more affordable. Yet, with how handsomely other players are being paid this offseason, Taillon’s contract demands could rise too.
Either way, we now know the Mets and Rangers have at least kicked the tires on the former Pirates and Yankees pitcher.
Related: Top MLB free agents of 2023: Top 45 MLB free agency rankings 2022-’23, including Aaron Judge