Off the wire

BASEBALL Scherzer gets record deal

Right-hander Max Scherzer has agreed to a record-setting $130 million, three-year contract with the New York Mets. Scherzer and shortstop Corey Seager are leaving the high-spending Los Angeles Dodgers for free agent riches elsewhere with teams that have aggressively added players before what likely will be Major League Baseball’s first work stoppage since 1995. The five-year collective bargaining agreement expires at 11:59 p.m. EST Wednesday, and owners are expected to announce a signing freeze. Scherzer’s $43.33 million average salary under Monday’s agreement is 20% higher than the previous mark, the $36 million New York Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole is averaging in his $324 million, nine-year contract with New York. Scherzer would have the right to opt out after the 2023 season to become a free agent once again. Scherzer also receives a full no-trade provision, requiring his approval for any deals. The agreement also includes award bonuses. A three-time Cy Young Award winner and eight-time All-Star, Scherzer will join a staff that already include former Cy Young winner Jacob deGrom. Scherzer, 37, was 15-4 with a 2.46 ERA last season for the Washington Nationals and Dodgers, who acquired him July 30. He struck out 236 and walked 36 in 179 1/3 innings, averaging 94.4 mph with his fastball in the final season of a $210 million, seven-year contract that included $105 million in deferred money payable from 2022-28.

Mariners seek Ray

The Seattle Mariners are finalizing a contract with American League Cy Young Award winner Robbie Ray, according to a person with knowledge of the deal. The person spoke to The Associated Press on Monday on the condition of anonymity because Ray still must undergo a physical and the deal has not been signed. The deal is expected to be for $115 million over five years. Ray is coming off the best season of his career with the Toronto Blue Jays, going 13-7 with a 2.84 ERA and 248 strikeouts in 193 1/3 innings. A left-handed power pitcher, Ray led the American League in ERA, games started, innings pitched and led all of baseball in strikeouts. He immediately becomes the ace of the Seattle staff. Marco Gonzales, Chris Flexen and Logan Gilbert are also under contract for the 2022 season for an ascending Mariners team that went 90-72 last season and barely missed snapping the club’s 20-year playoff drought. It’s the second major move of the offseason by the Mariners, who acquired second baseman Adam Frazier in a trade with San Diego on Saturday.

Texas gets Seager

Corey Seager agreed to a $325 million, 10-year deal with the Texas Rangers on Monday and will now play his home games in the stadium where he was twice a postseason MVP, according to a person familiar with the deal. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal was pending a physical and wasn’t finalized. The Rangers committed $500 million to a pair of middle infielders over a span of about 24 hours. A day before Seager agreed to the biggest deal in team history, Texas reached an agreement on a $175 million, seven-year contract with Gold Glove second baseman Marcus Semien, according a person familiar with that deal that was also subject to a successful physical. Seager, 27, played his first seven big league seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers, who during the pandemic-altered 2020 season played 16 consecutive postseason games at Globe Life Field on the way to their first World Series title since 1988. Seager was the MVP in both the World Series and National League Championship Series. He hit .350 with 7 home runs and 19 RBI, including the go-ahead RBI in the World Series-clinching Game 6 win over Tampa Bay, in those games at Texas that also included an NL Division Series sweep over San Diego. He hit .306 with 16 home runs and 57 RBI in 95 games this season. He is a .297 career hitter with 104 home runs and 364 RBI in 636 games.

Matz to St. Louis

Steven Matz and the St. Louis Cardinals finalized a $44 million, four-year contract Monday, giving St. Louis the shutdown left-hander it desperately sought for a rotation that otherwise returns intact next season. Matz received a $2 million signing bonus, payable within 30 days of the deal’s approval by the commissioner’s office, and salaries of $8 million next season, $10 million in 2022 and $12 million each in 2023 and 2024. He can earn $1 million annually in performance bonuses for innings pitched. Matz, 30, spurned the New York Mets to sign with a National League rival. He pitched for New York from 2015-20 before he was traded last January to Toronto, where his career-best 14-7 record and 3.82 ERA in 29 starts for the Blue Jays made him a coveted starting pitcher in free agency.

Ozuna suspended

Atlanta Braves outfielder Marcell Ozuna received a retroactive 20-game suspension for violating Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy. Ozuna was arrested May 29 on charges of aggravated assault by strangulation and battery after police officers said they witnessed him attacking his wife. He was placed on administrative leave under the domestic violence policy. The suspension is retroactive to Sept. 10 and covers the final 24 days of the regular season, costing him approximately $1.55 million of his $12 million salary. “Having reviewed the totality of the available evidence, I have concluded that Mr. Ozuna violated our policy and that discipline is appropriate,” baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement.

FOOTBALL Cowboys’ DT suspended

The NFL suspended Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Trysten Hill for two games Monday for confronting Las Vegas offensive lineman John Simpson and throwing a punch after the Raiders’ 36-33 overtime win on Thanksgiving. Hill will miss Thursday night’s game at New Orleans and the Dec. 12 game at Washington. He can return Dec. 19 at the New York Giants. NFL vice president of football operations Jon Runyan said in a letter to the Hill that he spent nearly a minute at midfield after the game looking for Simpson and walked the opposite direction from the Dallas locker room to confront the Raiders’ left guard.

TENNIS Croatia advances

Croatia became the first team to reach the Davis Cup semifinals after defeating Italy 2-1 on Monday in Turin, Italy. With the singles squared, the top-ranked doubles team of Mate Pavic and Nikola Mektic had no trouble beating Fabio Fognini and Jannik Sinner 6-3, 6-4 in the decider. Sinner replaced Simone Bolelli after winning his singles, which took nearly three hours. But he and Fognini couldn’t get a break point against Pavic and Mektic, winners of Wimbledon and the Olympics this year. Croatia, a two-time champion, awaits Serbia or Kazakhstan in Wednesday’s quarterfinal in Madrid.