Taijuan Walker, Mets strike $20M, 2-year deal: AP source
New York has displayed a willingness to spend under new owner Steven Cohen
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The Mets made a late addition to their starting rotation, agreeing to a $20 million, two-year contract with right-hander Taijuan Walker, a person familiar with the negotiations said.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Friday because the agreement was subject to a successful physical.
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The 28-year-old joins a rotation headed by two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom.
Walker's agreement was first reported by SNY.
New York has displayed a willingness to spend under new owner Steven Cohen, retaining Marcus Stroman with an $18.9 million qualifying offer and acquiring Carlos Carrasco from Cleveland in a trade along with All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor for a rotation also projected to include David Peterson.
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The team hopes to get starter Noah Syndergaard back as soon as June. He is rehabbing from Tommy John surgery last March.
Walker has a five-pitch repertoire with a 93 mph fastball mixed among sliders, split-finger fastballs, sinkers and curveballs.
He was 4-3 with a 2.70 ERA over 11 starts during the pandemic-shortened season for Seattle and Toronto, which acquired him Aug. 27 for a player to be named, who became outfielder prospect Alberto Rodriguez.
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Walker is 35-34 with a 3.84 ERA in 105 starts and three relief appearances over eight seasons with Seattle (2013-16, 2020), Arizona (2017-19) and Toronto.
New York was fourth in the NL East at 26-34 last year in the final season of ownership by the Wilpon and Katz families, who sold the Mets to Cohen on Nov. 6 for $2.4 billion.
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The Mets have won just two World Series titles, in 1969 and 1986, and last won a pennant in 2015.