MLBBy Sean Keeley on

The New York Mets don’t usually give their fans a lot to get excited about. That changed, at least temporarily, on Monday when the franchise signed All-Star pitcher Max Scherzer. According to Jon Heyman, the deal will be for three years at $130 million.

At $43.3 million, that will give Scherzer the largest average annual value of any player in Major League Baseball. The Mets reportedly beat out the Dodgers, Giants, and Angels for his services.

While the 37-year-old is joining the fifth team of his 15-year career, Scherzer has consistently been among the best pitchers in the league throughout. In stints with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Detroit Tigers, Washington Nationals, and Los Angeles Dodgers, Scherzer has amassed a World Series championship, eight All-Star appearances, and three Cy Young Awards. He has led the league in wins four times, led the National League in strikeouts three times, and pitched two no-hitters in the same year (2015). His career record is 190-97 with a 3.16 ERA and 3,020 strikeouts.

Last season, Scherzer finished third in NL Cy Young voting, going 15-4 with a 2.46 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, and 236 strikeouts in split service between the Nationals and Dodgers. After being traded to LA, he went 11-0 in starts with a 1.98 ERA.

The signing means that assuming everyone is healthy, the Mets could have two of the best pitchers in the NL in their rotation. Scherzer joins Jacob deGrom, giving the Mets a pitching potential they haven’t had in years. The team also clearly seems to be making very strategic moves, recently acquiring center fielder Starling Marte, Mark Canha, and Eduardo Escobar.

It’s safe to say that a lot of people around MLB, especially Mets fans and media members, approved of the deal.

Of course, the Mets are the Mets. So you can expect a lot of New York fans to start wondering when all of this will blow up in their face. Regardless, if the Mets want to compete with the defending champion Atlanta Braves and keep pace with the rest of the National League, this was the kind of deal they needed to make.

[Jon Heyman]

About Sean Keeley

Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Editorial Strategy Director for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.

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