Aaron Loup has decided to celebrate one of the best seasons by a reliever in Mets history by going to Disneyland.
The lefty reliever Monday reached agreement with the Angels on a two-year contract, the club announced. An industry source confirmed it’s a two-year deal worth $17 million with a team option for 2024.
Loup, 33, pitched to a 0.95 ERA in 65 appearances for the Mets last season. It was the lowest ERA in the major leagues by a pitcher who logged at least 50 innings last season. The Mets had signed Loup to a one-year deal worth $3 million last winter after they had missed on lefty Brad Hand. The veteran Hand was claimed off waivers by the Mets in August.
Loup’s departure comes less than a week after the Angels snagged Noah Syndergaard on a one-year deal worth $21 million. The Mets had extended a qualifying offer to Syndergaard for next season worth $18.4 million that he was widely expected to accept, but the Angels wooed the right-hander over dinner and got him to sign. The Mets will receive a compensatory draft pick for Syndergaard’s departure, but not Loup’s.
Minnesota’s Taylor Rogers is among the lefty relievers in whom the Mets have interest to replace Loup, according to an industry source. Rogers missed the final two months of last season after spraining the middle finger on his left hand, but was selected to the American League All-Star team. Overall he pitched to a 3.35 ERA in 40 appearances for the Twins, with 59 strikeouts in 40 ¹/₃ innings.
Rogers, who is entering his final year of arbitration eligibility, is due a raise from the $6 million he earned last season and the Twins might be looking to conserve financial resources.
In trade discussions with the Twins before last season’s July 30 deadline, the Mets asked about Rogers but were told he was unavailable.