Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
The Oakland A’s announced on Friday afternoon that they’ve signed reliever Trevor May to a one-year deal. Jeff Passan of ESPN reports the deal is for $7 million guaranteed with another $500,000 in potential performance bonuses. The deal makes May the highest-paid A’s player for the 2023 season.
May, 33, struggled during the 2022 season to the tune of a 5.04 ERA though he pitched well down the stretch for the Mets with a 2.16 ERA in the last month of the season.
The right-hander had a much better first season with the Mets when he had a 3.59 ERA and struck out 83 batters in 62 2/3 innings in 2021. May signed a two-year, $15.5 million deal with the Mets in December of 2020 as the first significant signing of the Steve Cohen era.
Overall, May ended with a 4.00 ERA in 87 2/3 innings over 94 appearances for the Mets in two seasons.
The Mets entered this offseason with a large portion of their bullpen scheduled to hit free agency. They were able to lock up Edwin Diaz long-term before he hit the market and also brought back Tommy Hunter. Lefty Joely Rodriguez signed with the Red Sox and Trevor Williams has signed with the Nationals with a chance to start. Key pieces Adam Ottavino and Seth Lugo are still on the free agent market with the Mets showing interest in bringing back the former but not the latter.
