Mets, McCann near 4-year deal

Free agent catcher James McCann and the Mets were close to completing a four-year, $40 million contract Saturday as the team continues to upgrade its roster under new owner Steve Cohen. McCann was an All-Star with the White Sox in 2019 when he hit .273 with 18 home runs and 60 RBIs. He batted .289 with seven homers and 15 RBIs for Chicago this year in 31 games while splitting time with Yasmani Grandal during the pandemic-shortened season. Last week, the Mets signed free agent reliever Trevor May to a two-year, $15.5 million deal. That was the first major move by the team since Cohen bought the club for $2.42 billion last month. The Mets haven’t reached the playoffs since losing the 2016 NL wild-card game. They went 26-34 this season with Wilson Ramos and Robinson Chirinos as its catchers. McCann, 30, has improved behind the plate, as measured by defensive metrics, and is a steady presence with the bat. He played a key role in the development of White Sox ace Lucas Giolito.