Japanese free-agent right-hander Kodai Senga has agreed to a five-year deal with the New York Mets, the National League club said Saturday.
Senga, who will turn 30 on Jan. 30, has signed a $75 million contract, MLB.com reported, which includes a full no-trade clause and an opt-out clause that will allow the former SoftBank Hawks ace to become a free agent after the 2025 season.
Senga is the first player to join an MLB club after starting on a non-roster developmental contract with a Nippon Professional Baseball team.
After joining the Hawks in 2011 out of high school, Senga is 87-44 with a 2.59 ERA and had at least 10 wins for seven straight years since 2016. He went 11-6 with a 1.94 ERA in 22 games this past season.
Senga is joining a Mets rotation that has added Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer, who have won three Cy Young Awards apiece.
