Following days of increased MLB free-agency activity, the hot stove has now officially been cranked up to high heat.
Three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer has reportedly agreed to a multiyear deal with the Mets, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan.
MLB Network's Jon Heyman first reported that the deal would be for three years and $130 million. According to the New York Post's Mike Puma, the deal has an opt-out after the second season.
According to the New York Post's Joel Sherman, the deal also includes a no-trade clause.
Scherzer, 37, went 15–4 with a 2.46 ERA in 30 starts for the Dodgers and Nationals last season, getting traded to Los Angeles in a blockbuster deal at the trade deadline. He made the All-Star team for the eighth consecutive time and finished third in Cy Young Award voting. He's finished in the top five for the award in eight of the past nine seasons.
At 37, Scherzer will become the oldest player in MLB history to sign a $100 million contract. As noted by ESPN's Joon Lee, due to Scherzer also deferring money on his Nationals contract, he will be making $58.3 million annually during his Mets tenure.
After coming into the season with high expectations and maintaining first-place position for much of the first half, New York faltered after the All-Star break and won only 77 games, posting its fourth losing season in five years. Injuries limited ace Jacob deGrom to just 15 starts, and fellow starter Marcus Stroman is also a free agent after going 10–13 with a 3.02 ERA last season.
The Mets added to their offense earlier in the week, signing outfielders Starling Marte and Mark Canha and infielder Eduardo Escobar all on the same day.
SI Betting's Matt Ehalt writes: "The Mets now have +1100 odds to win the 2022 World Series at SI Sportsbook, a sizable jump from the +1800 odds they had to start the offseason. New York has the sixth-best odds to follow Atlanta as World Series champion, and owns the second-best odds in the National League behind the Dodgers (+600)."
