Mets moving to big Plan B after Jacob deGrom's departure

The New York Mets are not just sitting back and licking their wounds after Jacob deGrom’s exit.

News broke Friday that the two-time Cy Young winner deGrom has decided to leave the Mets and is signing a massive deal with a surprising AL team.

In the wake of the deGrom news, Andy Martino of SNY reports that veteran right-hander Justin Verlander is now “front and center” for the Mets.

Although he will turn 40 before next season, Verlander is the reigning AL Cy Young winner and is fresh off a World Series title with the Houston Astros. With deGrom off the board, Verlander is the top remaining righty starter in free agency. Left-hander Carlos Rodon also lurks as a top-end free agent.

While Verlander is receiving heavy interest from other major ball clubs, the Mets suddenly have some extra cash to spend on starting pitching now that deGrom is out of the picture. If the Mets do successfully reel Verlander in, it would create another interesting storyline.