Yankees/Mets Free Agent Tracker – Who’s Coming, Who’s Going For 2022

Spring has sprung, and soon enough warm weather and the official start of the Major League Baseball season will be here. The offseason was a bit longer this year because of the lockout, so some of the trades and signings that happened before and after might have gone unnoticed.

Here's a look at the latest free-agent signings and trades involving New York's baseball teams entering the 2022 season.

Max Scherzer is entering his 15th MLB season but doesn't seem to be rusting just yet. He posted a combined 15-4 record split between the National and Dodgers last season and totes 3 Cy Young Awards, he's thrown 2 no-hitters (the Mets have one in franchise history) and owns a World Series ring.

Scherzer signed with the Mets for 3-years, $130,000.

Slugging third baseman Josh Donaldson was acquired from Minnesota by the Yankees on March 13, along with fellow infielder Isiah Kener-Falefa and catcher Ben Rortvedt. The deal was sad for some fans because despite bringing in a former MVP in Donaldson, New York sent away a couple of fan favorites in Gio Urshela and Gary Sanchez.

Corey Kluber exits the Big Apple after a single season in Pinstripes. Last May, he threw the 12th no-hitter in Yankees' history, but would later get injured and miss about half the season with a shoulder injury. He ended 5-3 in 16 starts and 80.0 innings pitched. Kluber inked a one-year, $8 million deal with the AL East rival Rays.

Javier Baez only spent two months as a Met, but there were some memorable highs and lows in packed in there. A couple long home runs to gather fan support was flushed in Flushing when the gave fans the thumbs down gesture in response to the typical tough crowds New York is known for. Owner Steve Cohen called it 'unacceptable', so we shouldn't be surprise the strikeout prone slugger didn't get a curtain call campaign. Baez signed a 6-year, $140 million deal with Detriot.

His .289 career average over a decade in the Bigs shows he's a steady contact hitter with speed, and he plays centerfield. Starling Marte spent much of his career in Pittsburgh but has bounced around the last couple seasons. He lands with the Mets for four-years, $78 million.

Anthony Rizzo spent the last decade with the Cubbies and helped them end the team's streak of more than 100-years without winning a World Series. He joined the Yankees amid Chicago's sell-off of franchise faces and will likely place plenty of baseballs on Yankee Stadium's short porch in right. Didn't have great numbers in 49 games win the Yanks last season, hitting 8 HR and driving in 21. He resigned for 2-years, $32 million.

What happened to Clint Frazier? His numbers weren't great but there was some hope for a future in New York. After leaving a game due to dizziness mid-season, Frazier never played with the big-league club again. He was ultimately released by the Yankees after the season a took $1.5 million contract to play with the Cubs.

Noah, say it isn't so-ugh. His rookie campaign came during the Mets' 2015 run to the World Series and Thor's future in Flushing looked to be brighter than his blonde hair. After a great season for him personally in 2016 (14-9, 2.60 ERA) he leaves New York with fans having hoped for more. Syndergaard signs with the Dodgers for 1-year, $21 million.

In a season and change with the Mets, Marcus Stroman had a 14-15 record. Dazzling at times but inconsistent throughout. The Mets will miss his strong arm as he signs a 3-years, $71 million contact with the Cubs.

Jeurys Familia loved to make 'em sweat. Of course, I referring to Mets fans not opposing batters. Known for struggling to find the strike zone, before somehow magically regaining composure to secure the save (most times), Familia sure could make it interesting. He's earned 124 of his 125 career saves with the Mets, including a combined 94 between 2015 and 2016. This Mets fan is saddened to see him go, especially to division rival Philadelphia. But it's assuring to know he'll likely be responsible for a few Mets' rallies in 2022.

The Mets made a trade to acquire Chris Bassitt from the Oakland A's. New York gave up two prospects for a guy who spent his 20s bouncing between the major and minor leagues. However, the last three seasons have all been with Oakland, combining to go 27-11 since 2019. The Mets have high hopes in Bassitt, 33, being another bullet behind Jacob deGrom and Scherzer.

Rougned Odor was a Yankee for 102 games last season. While he hit just .202, he did club 15 homers. The beard on its way back already after Odor signed a one-year deal with Baltimore.

Joely Rodriguez appeared in 21 games after coming up from Texas during the 2021 season. He worked 19.0 innings with sub-3 ERA. He signed for a year and $2-million to stay in pinstripes.

Andrew Heaney came to the Yankees via a trade from the Angeles last July. He was LA's Opening Day starter and started for the Yankees in their Field of Dreams game against the White Sox. With New York, he was 2-2 overall, finishing with an overall 7.32 ERA - or about what a gallon of gas is going for these days in LA. Heaney signed for a year and $8.5 million with the Dodgers.

Another of the many NY free agents who seem to have landed in Chicago. Jonathan Villar has played for six teams during his nine seasons. After a season in New York where he saw substantial playing time with the suspension of Robinson Cano, Villar is off to the Cubbies. Make that seven teams in ten years.

Kevin Pillar is a gritty player who forever earned the respect of Mets fans after taking a fastball to the face, then shaking it off. Fearless. If he's in search of a good plastic surgeon, he'll find plenty after inking a deal with the Dodgers to play in LA.

Mark Canha. Who? He's a free-agent signing from Oakland. That might be all Mets Owner Steve Cohen needed to hear. The deal for the 32-year-old is 2-years, 26.5 million. His best year so far came in 2019, when he clubbed 26 homers in 126 games and a .273 batting average.

Adam Ottavino is now 36 but the Mets hope he can still be a reliable in relief. After two season with the Yankees, he was in Boston's bullpen last year. In 69 appearances, all in relief, he was 7-3 with a 4.21 ERA.

Still Unsigned

Brett Gardner is a beloved Yankee. Through thick and thin, he's reliable and he hustles. He's spent all 14 seasons with the Bronx Bombers. He's currently unsigned with the NY Post reporting AL rival Toronto may have interest.

Michael Conforto has shown tremendous potential but it's doesn't look like he'll fulfill that potential with the Mets. Currently an unsigned free agent, Conforto has solid campaigns in 2017, 2018 and 2019. Injuries and inconsistency since are the reasons he's still unsigned with all MLB camps well underway.

Dellin Betances had season ending surgery during his first season with the Mets. This after building a reputation as a bullish bullpen arm with the crosstown Yankees. Betances is currently unsigned.

(this list was compiled in part by data compiled by Spotrac)