Mets' Zack Wheeler: Avoids arbitration

Wheeler (elbow) agreed to a one-year, $800,000 deal with the Mets on Wednesday, avoiding arbitration, FanRag Sports' Jon Heyman reports.

Analysis:

He hasn't pitched since 2014, hence the low dollar sum, and has been shut down until spring training after trying and failing to make a late-season return in 2016. It is far from a guarantee that Wheeler will be ready to go for Opening Day, and with the emergence of Robert Gsellman, the Mets can afford to continue with a cautious approach to getting him back on the mound.