Scherzer, Mets finalize $130M, three-year deal

NEW YORK » Mets owner Steve Cohen promised a max effort bringing a World Series back to New York.

Enter Max Scherzer, the newest ace in Queens.

The Mets and the three-time Cy Young Award winner finalized a $130 million, three-year deal Wednesday, a contract that shattered baseball’s record for highest average salary and forms a historically impressive 1-2 atop New York’s rotation with Jacob deGrom.

Scherzer said he was convinced during a video call with Cohen last month that the second-year owner was going to do whatever it took to build a winner in Flushing.

“You don’t hear that from owners too much these days,” Scherzer said Wednesday. “When you hear an owner wants to do what it takes to win, obviously that piqued my interest.”

Of course, Cohen put his wallet behind his words.

The 37-year-old Scherzer will earn $43.33 million per year, 20% higher than the previous mark, the $36 million Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole is averaging in his $324 million, nine-year contract signed prior to the 2020 season. Scherzer has the right to opt out after the 2023 season and become a free agent again.

The eight-time All-Star was 15-4 with a 2.46 ERA last season with the Washington Nationals and Los Angeles Dodgers, who acquired him on July 30. He didn’t lose a game after May 30 and was as dominant as ever in his first nine starts with LA, going 7-0 with an 0.78 ERA.

The right-hander ran out of steam following heavy usage in the postseason, though. He was unable to start Game 6 of the NL Championship Series against Atlanta as planned due to arm fatigue. The Dodgers lost that game to end the series.

Scherzer said he took about two weeks off before resuming throwing. He’s back on his normal offsesaon program, and he said the arm has turned a corner and felt better over the past two weeks.

“I needed to see where my arm was at, make sure there wasn’t any damage, and there wasn’t,” he said. “I just needed time. I overcooked my arm, I worked past my work capacity and what it was built for.

“From a long-term standpoint, structural standpoint, health standpoint, I’m ready to

go.”