Report: Scherzer waives no-trade clause, Mets, Rangers complete deal
Published
Eight-time All-Star starter Max Scherzer has agreed to waive his no trade clause to facilitate a trade between the New York Mets and the Texas Rangers, according to multiple reports. The teams agreed to the deal, that will send shortstop prospect Luisangel Acuña to the Mets, earlier on Sunday.
Luisangel is the brother of Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr.
In the deal, Scherzer opted into his 2024 contract and the Mets agreed to pay $35 million of the remaining money.
Scherzer, 39 is 9-4 this season with a 4.01 ERA in 19 starts.
Scherzer was signed to a three-year, $130 million deal two off-seasons ago and started on Opening Day for a Mets team that had sky-high expectations for 2023.
But the Mets – who came into the season with the highest payroll in baseball history at roughly $364 million – have struggled so far this season and sit fourth in the National League East at 49-54.
An oblique injury forced Scherzer to miss nearly two months in his debut Mets campaign, but the St. Louis native was still effective over 23 starts, going 11-5 with a 2.29 ERA and 173 strikeouts in 145.1 innings.
Scherzer began his MLB career with the Arizona Diamondbacks but didn’t fully hit his stride until joining the Detroit Tigers in 2010. He made back-to-back All-Star teams with the Tigers in 2013 and 2014, setting up a seven-year, $210 million free agent contract with the Washington Nationals.
Scherzer continued to be one of the best arms in baseball with the Nats, winning three consecutive strikeout crowns from 2016 to 2018 and winning a World Series with Washington in 2019.
All in all, Scherzer has three Cy Young Awards and eight All-Star appearances during his 16-year MLB career.