Mets signing Max Scherzer to record $130 million deal
Now that’s a Max contract.
The Mets and Max Scherzer agreed to a three-year, $130 million deal on Monday, The Post confirmed.
It comes with a record $43.3 million average annual salary and an opt-out after the second year.
The deal also surpasses the average annual value for any player in MLB history, leaving behind the $36 million per year the Yankees are giving Gerrit Cole, as well as the $85 million over the first two years of Trevor Bauer’s deal he signed with the Dodgers a year ago.
The Mets and new owner Steve Cohen tried to make a big splash with Bauer last offseason, offering the right-hander a three-year, $105 million contract before he ultimately signed with the Dodgers. Bauer was suspended for much of last season after being placed on administrative leave while under investigation following sexual assault accusations.
Scherzer, 37, had also been linked to the Dodgers and Angels this offseason, but sources said neither team came close to the Mets�� offer, as the Mets continued their early free-agent frenzy before MLB’s expected lockout on Wednesday night.
Cohen said last week he told team president Sandy Alderson and new general manager Billy Eppler “for the right deals and the right free agents … go get the players we need. We want to be competitive, we want to win our division and be in the playoffs and get deep into the playoffs. We’ve got to field a team that has the ability to do that. I’ve let Billy and Sandy know, it’s whatever they need and I’m open to their suggestions and recommendations.”
That began last week — after they missed out on Steven Matz, who spurned the Mets for the Cardinals — with the free-agent signings of outfielders Starling Marte (four years, $78 million) and Mark Canha (two years, $26.5 million) and infielder Eduardo Escobar (two years, $20 million).
As significant as those additions were, they pale in comparison to Scherzer, the three-time Cy Young Award winner. Scherzer had a 2.46 ERA in 179 ¹/₃ innings (30 starts) last season, split between the Nationals and Dodgers.
The right-hander struck out 236 and walked just 36. He pitched Washington to a World Series title in 2019.
He’ll be paired with Jacob deGrom at the top of the Mets’ rotation — provided deGrom can stay healthy after an injury-marred 2021.
The Mets have been in desperate need of rotation help, with little behind deGrom, who battled elbow issues last season and was limited to 92 innings in 15 starts.
When healthy, though, deGrom is as dominant as any pitcher in the majors and the same can be said of Scherzer, who has remained durable throughout his entire career — although he complained of a dead arm in the NLCS.
The move for Scherzer leaves the Mets with few glaring holes, although they continue to look for bullpen help — and a manager.
Eppler’s focus since taking over as GM has been in reinforcing the roster before the sport’s expected shutdown.
One name to keep in mind is Brad Ausmus, whom Eppler hired as manager with the Angels — and who also managed Scherzer in Detroit.