Mets' Jacob deGrom on track to earn more than Max Scherzer in free agency?

The two-time National League Cy Young Award winner missed the second half of the 2021 season because of lingering elbow issues and was then sidelined through July of this year due to a stress reaction in the scapula of his pitching shoulder. Thus far, deGrom has mostly looked like his old self during his latest return from the injured list, and he began Wednesday holding a 5-2 record with a 2.01 ERA and 73 strikeouts over 49.1 innings of work on the campaign. 

The 34-year-old let it be known in March he intends to opt out of his current contract after this season, and it was reported earlier this month that knowledgeable individuals in the baseball community expect he'll eventually put pen to paper on a deal similar to the three-year, $130 million contract Max Scherzer signed with the Mets last fall. 

For a piece published Wednesday morning, ESPN's Jeff Passan suggested that deGrom's upcoming agreement may top what Scherzer received. 

"There is an argument to be made that this version of deGrom, 34, belongs in the pantheon of all-time greats," Passan explained. "When he pitches, he is that much better than everyone else. And though concerns about his ability to do so long-term persist, deGrom, if he stays healthy through the end of the season, almost assuredly will break Max Scherzer's annual-salary record of $43.3 million." 

The harsh truth of the matter is that pockets of Mets fans hold their breaths just about each time deGrom throws a pitch considering his lengthy and worrisome injury history. It appears certain executives throughout MLB may find themselves doing the same through the fall's postseason tournament.