The deal is done and Mad Max is ready to return to the National League East.
The New York Mets are signing the best pitcher on the open market this winter, giving Max Scherzer a three-year, $130 million contract, according to MLB Network’s Jon Heyman.
SNY’s Andy Martino reports “Source: Mets in agreement with Scherzer. Done deal. Source: 3 years, $130 mil, opt out after two years.”
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The New York Post’s Joel Sherman reports “When Scherzer is completed, #Mets payroll will project to around $265M — and I don’t think they are done. Of course, they can trade some surplus $$, but with Scherzer and potentially Seager off #Dodgers, NYM almost certain to become the No. 1 payroll in MLB.”
Sherman also reports “Scherzer received a full no-trade clause from the #Mets.”
MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reports “Scherzer $43.3M AAV will break the record AAV of $36M by Gerrit Cole. That’s a 20 percent increase points out @JeffPassan As a member of the union’s negotiating committee that’s a coup for Max.”
The Athletic reports “Max Scherzer’s $43.3 million average annual value is the largest in the sport’s history. It’s the largest contract the Mets have ever given to a free agent.”
MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo reports “The Mets now feature the league’s highest payroll, as well as five Cy Youngs atop their rotation.”
USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reports “The #Mets now have spent $254.5 million in free agency this winter and currently have the game’s highest payroll at about $265 million. The #Dodgers led #MLB last year with a $282.7 million payroll.”
Scherzer, a three-time Cy Young Award winner, split the 2021 season between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Washington Nationals.
Scherzer led the Nationals to a World Series title in 2019.
The 37-year-old right hander is an eight-time All-Star and future Hall of Famer.
His arrival in Queens proves that new general manager Billy Eppler isn’t fooling around and that owner Steve Cohen is willing to spend big bucks to build a winner.
On Friday, Eppler signing three free agents, including former All-Star outfielder Starling Marte, who got a four-year, $78 million contract. Former Oakland A’s outfielder Mark Canha got a two-year, $26.5 million deal. Former Arizona Diamondbacks and Milwaukee Brewers infielder Eduardo Escobar agreed to a two-year, $20 million deal.
And don’t forget that last week, Eppler almost had a four-year, $44 million deal done with left-hander Steven Matz, who ended up signing with the St. Louis Cardinals.
Scherzer’s signing comes amid a flurry of free agency activity as players, agents and teams look to get deals done before the Collective Bargaining Agreement expires on Wednesday.
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Mike Rosenstein may be reached at mrosenstein@njadvancemedia.com.
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