Jacob deGrom is two-stepping to Texas.
In a surprising blow to the Mets’ offseason plans, the Rangers swooped in and signed deGrom to a five-year, $185 million deal on Friday night, taking the Mets’ top target to the AL West.
The Mets had hoped to keep the two-time NL Cy Young Award winner in Queens a year after landing Max Scherzer to a record-setting, three-year, $130 million contract.
Instead, they’re left with a giant hole in an already depleted rotation and will set their sights on Justin Verlander, as well as Carlos Rodon, with the Winter Meetings set to begin on Sunday in San Diego.
A source told The Post’s Mike Puma the Mets never got to a final offer with deGrom.
The move by the Rangers comes with plenty of risk.
The 34-year-old deGrom has been arguably the best pitcher in baseball when healthy over the past five seasons, but was limited to just 26 regular-season starts in the last two years due to injuries. He hasn’t pitched more than 92 innings since 2019.
Still, there was little doubt after the season that deGrom would opt out of the final year of his deal, worth $30.5 million.
Jacob deGrom’s Mets tenure is over. Getty Images
New York PostFrom 2018-21, deGrom had a 1.94 ERA and this offseason. He joined Verlander at the top of the starting pitcher free-agent market and it paid off.
DeGrom’s $37 million annual salary is second only to Scherzer’s $40.3 million.
And the Mets must now turn their focus to Verlander, who came back from Tommy John surgery and won the AL Cy Young Award with the Astros this past season, and Rodon, off a terrific year with the Giants.
DeGrom battled back and arm issues in 2020 and an elbow injury in 2021. He didn’t take the mound for the Mets until Aug. 2 this past season after he suffered a stress reaction in his right scapula in spring training. He struggled down the stretch after returning to the rotation.
It was thought deGrom’s preference was to remain with the Mets, the team that drafted him in 2010 and with whom he won consecutive NL Cy Young Awards in 2018 and 2019 — if the money was similar. But the Rangers were willing to go to five years, along with a sixth-year option.
The Mets and owner Steve Cohen might not simply pivot to the other available aces on the market.
They can look at resigning Chris Bassitt or perhaps Japanese right-hander Kodai Senga.
Jacob deGrom pitches during the 2015 World Series. 
Jacob deGrom won two Cy Young awards with the Mets. 
Jacob deGrom signed with the Rangers on a five-year deal. And if they don’t sign Verlander, they could also look to bring back Brandon Nimmo in the outfield, since he was considered as likely too expensive to go along with deGrom.
Their rotation now includes Scherzer, Carlos Carrasco, David Peterson and Tyler Megill.
Bassitt and Taijuan Walker remain free agents.
And the bullpen has plenty of holes even after closer Edwin Diaz signed a five-year, $102 million deal earlier this offseason, a record-high for a reliever.
The Rangers latest move comes after they broke the bank by signing Corey Seager and Marcus Semien for the middle of the infield, as well as Jon Gray for the rotation, only to finish 68-94, ahead of just the A’s in their division.
After firing manager Chris Woodward during the season, the Rangers hired Bruce Bochy for 2023.
