New York Mets ace Jacob deGrom and Minnesota shortstop Carlos Correa headline a list of players who, as expected, officially opted out of their contracts Monday and are now free agents.
Boston shortstop Xander Bogaerts also officially opted out of his contract.
Monday’s other opt-outs included Anthony Rizzo, Nelson Cruz, Zach Davies, Jurickson Profar, Carlos Rodon, Robert Suarez, Taijuan Walker.
deGrom would have made $30.5 million in 2023. Mets co-ace Max Scherzer signed a three-year free agent deal last offseason that pays him $43.3 million annually.
Mets No. 3 starter Chris Bassitt also declined his 2023 option Sunday.
deGrom is 82-57 with a 2.52 ERA in 209 career starts, all with the Mets. He won back-to-back National League Cy Young Awards in 2018 and 2019.
Bogaerts, 30, was three seasons into his six-year, $132 million deal signed ahead of the 2019 season. The four-time All-Star is a career .292 batter with 156 home runs and an .814 OPS. He’s also a four-time Silver Slugger.
Correa, 28, hit .291 with 22 HRs and an .834 OPS in his first season with the Twins. He spent his first seven seasons with the Houston Astros.
Rizzo, 33, batted just .224 this year but bashed 32 homers and knocked in 75 runs in 130 games for the New York Yankees. He turned down a $16 million deal for 2023 to test the free agent market.