Agent Van Wagenen will be GM of Mets

When the New York Mets went looking for a general manager, they found one in a peculiar place.

On the other side of the bargaining table.

Baseball agent Brodie Van Wagenen has agreed to switch roles and become GM of the Mets, team spokesman Harold Kaufman confirmed Monday.

Kaufman said chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon and Van Wagenen have settled on contract terms, although no paperwork had been signed just yet. Details of the deal were not disclosed.

A news conference to introduce Van Wagenen is planned for Tuesday at Citi Field. He was chosen to replace Sandy Alderson, who took a leave in June following a recurrence of cancer. Alderson said the club’s poor performance did not merit him returning.

And so, at the start of a pivotal offseason, the Mets’ first pitch is a changeup.

The 44-year-old Van Wagenen is set to swap sides in labor relations. He has represented high-profile players all around the majors, including current Mets stars Jacob deGrom, Yoenis Cespedes and Todd Frazier. He also represents Mets minor-leaguer Tim Tebow, the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner and former NFL quarterback.

Van Wagenen has been co-head of CAA Baseball since 2010 and emerged as New York’s top choice for GM from a list of 10-12 initial candidates. He must leave his clients and give up his career as an agent to take the job.

Tampa Bay Rays senior vice president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom was the other finalist. Doug Melvin also had a second interview last week, meeting with Wilpon and his father, Mets owner Fred Wilpon. But the former Texas and Milwaukee general manager was told days ago he was no longer in the running.

Shields to move on: The Chicago White Sox declined their $16 million option on James Shields and exercised a $2 million buyout, making the veteran right-hander a free agent.

Shields was 7-16 with a 4.53 ERA in 34 appearances – 33 starts – last season. He had a 5.31 ERA in 21⁄2 years with the White Sox.

Giants keep Bumgarner: Madison Bumgarner’s $12 million contract option for the 2019 season was exercised by the San Francisco Giants, keeping the 2014 World Series MVP and ace lefthander with the club for at least one more season after his past two years were shortened by injuries.

Bumgarner broke the pinkie on his pitching hand when he was hit by a line drive from Kansas City’s Whit Merrifield in his final spring training start. He returned to go 6-7 with a 3.26 ERA.