While Los Angeles Dodgers free agent Clayton Kershaw has taken a more deliberate approach to the offseason as he recovers from a left flexor tendon injury, Max Scherzer and Corey Seager were said to be interested in signing before the collective bargaining agreement expires.
That’s due to come at 8:59 p.m. PT on Wednesday, Dec. 1, and with the assumption a new deal won’t be agreed to, a lockout is expected to be imposed by MLB. Such would halt all player movement, including free agency.
For the past few weeks the Dodgers, L.A. Angels, New York Mets, San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals were among the teams most prominently connected to Scherzer.
According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, Scherzer has agreed to a three-year, $130 million contract with Mets:
Max Scherzer’s deal with the Mets is done, per source. Three years, $130 million, an opt out after the second season.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) November 29, 2021
Scherzer’s deal includes a no-trade clause and none of the money is deferred, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today:
Max Scherzer also has a complete no-trade clause in his contract with the #Mets
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) November 29, 2021
There is no deferred salary in Max Scherzer's three-year contract, paying him $43.33 million a year, making it worth the full $130 million. #Mets
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) November 29, 2021
Scherzer’s $43.3 million average annual salary is the most in MLB history and he is the oldest to sign a contract worth at least $100 million. It previously was Kevin Brown, who at 33 signed the first $100 million deal in MLB history with the Dodgers in 1998.
Scott Boras recently indicated the 37-year-old was prioritizing playing on a World Series contender, which seemingly gave the Dodgers and Giants an advantage. Particularly if also taking into account Scherzer wanted to be sent to a West Coast club at the trade deadline.
The future Hall of Famer went a combined 15-4 with a 2.46 ERA and 0.86 WHIP for the Washington Nationals and Dodgers this past season. He averaged 11.84 strikeouts per nine innings and held opponents to a .185 batting average.
Scherzer led the Majors in WHIP and batting average against, and was second in the National League in ERA and strikeouts per nine. He was voted the Players Choice NL Outstanding Pitcher and included on the All-MLB First Team.
Mets return favor with Scherzer
Last offseason the Dodgers and Mets were locked in a free agency battle for Trevor Bauer that swung late in favor of L.A.
That addition wound up becoming a stain on the franchise as Bauer is under investigation for alleged sexual assault, and now the Mets have come away with a more heralded right-hander.
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