Former Red Sox right-hander Rick Porcello has agreed to a one-year deal worth $10 million with the Mets, according to multiple reports.
Porcello, who turns 31 on Dec. 27, had multiyear offers but preferred a one-year deal, per reports.
Porcello, a groundball pitcher who relies on a sinking two-seam fastball, is coming off a career-worst season with the Red Sox, with a 5.52 ERA that was the highest in the majors.
The lanky right-hander has been quite durable over the past four seasons, making at least 32 starts, but the velocity on his slider dropped by 1.7 mph from 2018, which made the pitch far less effective for him. With runners in scoring position, he gave up a troublesome .314/.407/.571 slash line in 2019.
He signed a four-year, $82.5 million contract extension with the Red Sox in 2015. In his five seasons with Boston, he had one great season — winning the AL Cy Young Award in 2016, when he was also voted Comeback Player of the Year — and three bad ones.
In 2016, he led the majors with 22 wins and had career bests in innings pitched (223), strikeouts (189), ERA (3.15) and WHIP (1.01). He allowed only 32 walks over the entire season and threw three complete games.
In 11 seasons with the Red Sox and Detroit Tigers, Porcello has a 149-118 record and a 4.36 ERA.
ESPN’s Keith Law contributed to this report.
Credit: Source link