Major League Baseball

Granderson agrees to four-year, $60 million deal with Mets

Published Dec. 6, 2013 12:00 a.m. ET

share

facebookxredditlink

foxsports

Curtis Granderson is trading navy blue for orange and blue.

The former Yankees outfielder agreed to a four-year deal, $60 million deal with the New York Mets, FOX Sports MLB Insider Ken Rosenthal confirms.

Granderson, who spent the past four years with the Yankees, was limited to only 61 games last season because of a broken forearm suffered in spring training and a pinkie injury. He finished the 2013 season batting .229 with seven homers and 15 RBI.

The Mets ranked 11th in home runs in the National League last season. The two seasons before his injury-shortened 2013 campaign, Granderson totaled 84 homers and 225 RBI.

A three-time All-Star, Granderson provides proven thump from the left side of the plate to complement right-handed hitter David Wright in a lineup that managed only 130 home runs last season - tied for 25th among 30 major league teams.

New York also signed free-agent outfielder Chris Young to a $7.25 million, one-year contract this offseason. Granderson has played center field most of his career but spent time in both left and right last season. He figures to fill a corner spot with the Mets, who plan to use defensive whiz Juan Lagares or Young in center.

New York's outfield combined to hit .238 this year (29th in the majors) with 50 homers (tied for 24th) and 209 RBIs (16th), according to STATS. The group also includes speedy left fielder Eric Young Jr., the NL stolen base leader.

Granderson turned down a $14.1 million qualifying offer from the Yankees to test the open market. The Mets, however, would not have to forfeit their first-round draft pick to sign him because they own the 10th overall selection. The top 10 picks are protected.

Granderson hit 41 home runs in 2011, when he led the American League in runs (136) and RBIs (119) and finished fourth in MVP voting. He had 43 homers and 106 RBIs in 2012, taking advantage of the short right-field porch at Yankee Stadium.

The Mets hope his power will translate to spacious Citi Field, where it's more difficult to clear the fences.

Granderson's numbers have declined the past two years, down to a .317 on-base percentage and .407 slugging mark last season. He also is prone to strikeouts - whiffing 364 times from 2011-2012 - and joins a Mets lineup that fanned 1,384 times this year, tied with Atlanta for most in the NL.

But his bat is a significant upgrade for the Mets, starved for offense following their fifth straight losing season since moving into Citi Field. Now, the club can focus on other areas of need - shortstop, first base, the pitching staff - heading into baseball's winter meetings next week.

Granderson was on the disabled list twice last season after getting hit by pitches.

He missed the first 38 games after breaking his right wrist when he was plunked by Toronto left-hander J.A. Happ in his first spring training plate appearance on Feb. 24. Not long after he returned, Granderson broke a knuckle on his left pinkie when he was hit at Tampa Bay on May 24.

That kept him out until August, making Granderson one of several Yankees stars to be sidelined much of the season. New York was unable to overcome all the injuries, missing the playoffs for only the second time in 19 years.

Granderson's agreement with the Mets was first reported by the New York Post.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

share

Get more from Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

in this topic

Major League Baseball