Dickey, Toronto Agree On Extension As Mets Complete 7-Player Trade
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) — National League Cy Young Award winner R.A. Dickey has passed his physical and is officially a member of the Toronto Blue Jays, the Mets announced Monday.
New York will get prized catching prospect Travis d'Arnaud in an agreement that includes seven players. The trade hinged on Dickey agreeing to an extension with Toronto, which ultimately ended up being a three-year, $30 million deal with the Blue Jays.
New York will send Dickey, catcher Josh Thole and catcher Mike Nickeas to Toronto for d'Arnaud, pitching prospect Noah Syndergaard, major league catcher John Buck and 18-year-old outfield prospect Wuilmer Becerra.
The now-famous 38-year-old knuckleballer was 20-6 with a 2.73 ERA last season. He is signed for $5.25 million next year, and the Mets started exploring trades after they couldn't agree to a contract adding two years.
D'Arnaud, who turns 24 in February, hit .333 at Triple-A Las Vegas with 16 homers and 52 RBIs. He tore a knee ligament in June and had season-ending surgery.
The Los Angeles Angels and Texas also had been interested in Dickey.
Out of the playoffs since winning their second straight World Series championship in 1993, the Blue Jays have been aggressive this offseason in reshaping their roster. They acquired pitchers Josh Johnson and Mark Buehrle and shortstop Jose Reyes in a trade with the Miami Marlins and signed free agent outfielder Melky Cabrera.
Dickey drew attention earlier this month when he showed up at the Winter Meetings in Nashville -- he lives in Tennessee, near the hotel where the gathering was held.
Last week, Dickey ruffled Mets management when he spoke about his contract situation during a team event at Citi Field for children displaced from their schools by Superstorm Sandy.
Dickey said it "would be disappointing" if he merely played out his option year and became a free agent.
"If that's the decision that they make, I feel like it would be unfortunate because it probably is going mean that I'm not going to be back," Dickey said at the event. "And that would be sad."
On Sunday, former Mets starter Mike Pelfrey agreed to a one-year, $4 million deal with the Minnesota Twins, Heyman reported.
New York's first-round pick in 2005, Pelfrey underwent Tommy John surgery early last season. He has a career record of 50-54 with a 4.36 ERA.
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