Mets to agree to deal with Blevins

NEW YORK — The Mets have told Jerry Blevins they intend to agree to a minor league contract that would bring the left-hander back to New York.

If added to the 40-man roster, the 37-year-old would get a $1.25 million, one-year contract, the same potential deal he had in 2020 with San Francisco.

Blevins pitched for the Mets from 2015-18, going 14-4 with a 3.38 ERA and four saves in 218 relief appearances and one start. He spent 2019 with Atlanta for his 13th big league season, then agreed to a minor league contract with the Giants in January. He did not get put on the big league roster during the shortened season.

76ERS FAN TO GIVE MEMORABILIA BACK TO JOHNNY BENCH

The winning bidder on over $1 million worth of memorabilia from a recent auction of Johnny Bench’s personal collection is returning the items to the Hall of Fame catcher, with whom he’s been friends since 1967.

Businessman Alan Horwitz, a fan of the Philadelphia 76ers who sits courtside at home games wearing his

Sixth Man jersey, successfully bid for Bench’s 1975 and ‘76 World Series rings last month. He also bought the catcher’s 1970 and ‘72 NL MVP awards, 1968 NL rookie of the year award, 1969 All-Star Game bat and several of Bench’s 10 Gold Glove awards.

Horwitz said he and Bench first met during Christmas vacation before Bench took over catching duties for the Cincinnati Reds beginning with the 1967 season.

“After that, for the next 16 seasons, I met Johnny at every spring training in Tampa, and along with his fans, watched him play at All-Star Games, World Series games, and of course witnessed his Hall of Fame Induction,” Horwitz said in a statement. “When I learned of the auction of Johnny’s memorabilia I felt compelled to participate, with the goal to return some of the items to the Bench family and Johnny’s fans.”

Bench and his family have offered the items Horwitz bought for display to several locations, including the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, the Reds Hall of Fame, the Oklahoma Hall of Fame and Bench’s museum in Oklahoma.