>>Former Cardinals Pitcher Wacha Signs With Mets
The New York Mets are have replaced outgoing free agent Zack Wheeler. The club has agreed to a one-year contract with free agent right-hander Michael Wacha, reports Tim Healey of Newsday. Joel Sherman of the New York Post says the deal is worth $3 million with $7 million in available incentives. The Mets have not yet confirmed an agreement.
Wacha, 28, was one of the youngest free agents on the market this offseason. He had the worst season of his career in 2019, throwing 126 2/6 innings with a 4.76 ERA and fewer than two strikeouts per walk with the Cardinals. Wacha dealt with a knee injury early in the season and was demoted to the bullpen briefly at midseason.
Wacha threw 84 1/3 innings with a 3.20 ERA in 2018, but a severe oblique strain ended his season in June. Only once in the last four years has Wacha thrown as many as 140 innings in a season. He's been held back by a series of injuries, including shoulder trouble a few years ago.
The Mets intend to bring righties Seth Lugo and Robert Gsellman to spring training as starting pitchers, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, though they are likely to wind up back in the bullpen. Lugo was the club's most trusted bullpen arm late this past season.
Wacha is represented by CAA, Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen's former agency. Since taking over as GM last year, Van Wagenen as signed or traded for several of his former clients, including Robinson Cano and Jed Lowrie. Wacha is now another member of that group.
>>Anthony Rendon Signs With LA Angels
Third baseman Anthony Rendon and the Los Angeles Angels agreed to a $245 million, seven-year contract Wednesday, a person with direct knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press.
Rendon gets a $4 million signing bonus payable by Dec. 31 and salaries of $25.5 million next season, $27.5 million in 2021, $36 million in 2022 and $38 million each year from 2023-26. He would receive a $250,000 bonus for World Series MVP, $150,000 for League Championship Series MVP, $125,000 for election as an All-Star starter and $100,000 for selection as a reserve.
Rendon is the third prized free agent to strike a big-money deal at this week’s baseball winter meetings. He’ll join three-time MVPs Mike Trout and Albert Pujols on a team that’s made just one postseason appearance in the past decade.
The Angels had missed out on free-agent right-hander Gerrit Cole, who agreed to a record $324 million, nine-year contract with the New York Yankees on Tuesday night.
Rendon, who has played all seven of his major league seasons with Washington, drove in a career-best 126 runs while helping the Nationals capture the franchise’s first World Series championship this year. His 19.9 Wins Above Replacement, per FanGraphs, over the past four seasons trails only Trout, Boston’s Mookie Betts and Milwaukee’s Christian Yelich among position players.
Rendon follows Bryce Harper as a homegrown star in Washington to leave via free agency — Harper signed a $330 million, 13-year deal with the Philadelphia Phillies last March.
