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Mets re-sign Nimmo on 8-year deal reportedly worth $162M, add Robertson

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The New York Mets re-signed star center fielder Brandon Nimmo to an eight-year contract, the club announced Saturday.

The pact is worth $162 million, the New York Post's Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman report. New York also lured veteran reliever David Robertson to Flushing on a one-year, $10-million deal, sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan.

Nimmo's deal includes a no-trade clause, according to Sherman. He'll earn $20.25 million annually over the course of the contract.

The 29-year-old was one of the Mets' most important internal free agents and left a gaping hole in center when he hit the open market. He returns to the team on the heels of a career-best 2022 campaign that saw him hit .274/.367/.433 with 16 homers, 30 doubles, and 64 RBIs in 151 games. Nimmo also turned in the best defensive season of his career, tallying six outs above average in center.

A first-round pick of the Mets (13th overall) in 2011, Nimmo's occasionally struggled with injuries but has been a very productive player when healthy. The Cheyenne, Wyoming, native owns a lifetime .827 OPS across parts of seven seasons with the Mets, while his 134 wRC+ ranks fourth among center fielders since 2016, according to FanGraphs.

The Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants, and Seattle Mariners were also pursuing Nimmo this winter.

Robertson, meanwhile, adds another reliable late-inning arm to the Mets' bullpen behind closer Edwin Diaz. He'll likely take over the eighth-inning spot from Adam Ottavino, who remains on the open market.

The 37-year-old rediscovered his old form in 2022 - his first full campaign since undergoing Tommy John surgery three years ago. Robertson posted a 2.40 ERA, 3.58 FIP, and 1.16 WHIP while averaging 11.5 strikeouts per nine innings in 58 appearances split between the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies and added another nine strikeouts during the Phillies' postseason run.

Robertson is no stranger to New York, having spent the bulk of his career (nine seasons) across town with the Yankees. The 14-year veteran owns a lifetime 2.89 ERA and 1.16 WHIP with 977 strikeouts and 157 saves across 739 1/3 innings with five teams.

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