Jacob deGrom dismissed the narrative that he could not wait to leave New York entering free agency.
DeGrom, one of the best pitchers in Mets history, signed with the Rangers this past offseason on a five-year, $185 million contract that features a sixth-year option.
“I don’t like it when people say that because that’s not true,” deGrom told The Post’s Joel Sherman. “You know me pretty well — I like to pitch and that’s about it. I understand the other stuff that comes with it, but what I want to do is take the field, play and then get ready for the next time I play. I felt like I did that in New York.”
DeGrom turned himself from an unheralded prospect to one of the best pitchers in baseball during his time in Queens, winning two Cy Young Awards.
He signed what proved to be a team friendly five-year, $137.5 million extension before the 2019 season that included an opt out after the 2022 season.
That $27.5 million average annual average eventually paled in comparison to other aces’ salaries.
DeGrom told Sherman he was never mad about that extension.
“If you would have told me at the start of my career I would have received that kind of contract, I wouldn’t have believed it — that is life-changing money, so to say I was upset is wrong,” deGrom said.
The 35-year-old exercised that opt-out clause this past offseason, and rumors swirled about whether he wanted to stay in Queens or leave.
DeGrom is from rural Florida and has a reserved personality, and he prefers avoiding the spotlight.
He acknowledged to Sherman that the lifestyle and speed of Texas better suits him.
The Rangers ultimately went to levels with their contract no other team matched, including Steve Cohen’s deep-pocketed Mets.
DeGrom went 2-0 with a 2.67 ERA spanning six starts before being shut down due to a torn ulnar collateral ligament that required Tommy John surgery.
He said upon signing with Texas that one of reasons why he did so was to “win year in and year out” and the Rangers now stand six wins away from a World Series, even with their prized offseason acquisition watching from the dugout.
Not being able to contribute eats at deGrom.
Said deGrom: “It stinks.”