Rick Porcello, Mets finalize $10M, 1-year contract
NEW YORK (AP) — Former AL Cy Young Award winner Rick Porcello and the New York Mets finalized a $10 million, one-year contract on Monday.
A right-hander who turns 31 on Dec. 27, Porcello joins a rotation that includes Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, Marcus Stroman and Steven Matz.
Michael Wacha, who agreed to a $3 million deal last week, also hopes to earn a rotation spot. With Seth Lugo and Robert Gsellman preparing to come to spring training as starters, the Mets have eight potential starters vying for five spots in spring training.
“I think we’re probably the deepest starting pitching rotation in baseball,” general manager Brodie Van Wagenen said last week.
Porcello grew up in New Jersey and went to Seton Hall Prep in West Orange.
He was 14-12 with a 5.52 ERA in 32 starts last year, his fifth and final season with Boston. His best year for the Red Sox was 2016, when he went 22-4 and won the AL Cy Young. He went 17-7 in 2018 and helped the Red Sox win the World Series.
“He’s done it,” Van Wagenen said. “He’s been battle tested. He’s performed in the playoffs. He’s got rings on his fingers.”
Porcello has a 149-118 record and 4.36 ERA in 11 big league seasons, the first six with Detroit.
Right-hander Stephen Nogosek was designated for assignment.
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