Mets set to shatter payroll records, soar to about $350M

Photo courtesy of Eric Gay, AP

Article courtesy of Ronald Blum, AP

TORONTO. - Steve Cohen’s New York Mets are on track to shatter spending records in his third season as owner, boosting payroll to about $350 million for purposes of the luxury tax and poised to pay a penalty of about $80 million.

New York added veteran starters Justin Verlander and Jose Quintana plus reliever David Robertson and Japanese pitcher Kodai Senga while re-signing center fielder Brandon Nimmo.

“Everybody’s talking about us and that’s fine,” Quintana said during a Zoom news conference Wednesday.

Coming off his third Cy Young Award, the 39-year-old Verlander became the second $43.33 million pitcher in New York’s rotation, joining for a two-year deal that matched the average salary of 38-year-old Max Scherzer.

Quintana, a 33-year-old lefty, got a $26 million, two-year contract and Robertson, 37, a $10 million, one-year deal to serve as a setup man for All-Star closer Edwin Díaz, who stayed for a $102 million, five-year commitment. In addition, Nimmo received a $162 million, eight-year contract, the Mets acquired lefty reliever Brooks Raley in a trade with Tampa Bay and reached a $75 million, five-year deal with Senga, pending a successful physical. In all, the team committed $461.7 million to six free agents, including five pitchers.