Mets sign Taijuan Walker, per report

After weeks of speculation, the Mets have signed right-hander Taijuan Walker to a two-year, $20 million contract, as the New York Post’s Joel Sherman and SNY’s Andy Martino were the first to report Friday:

After missing nearly two full seasons due to Tommy John surgery, Walker was stellar in his full-fledged return to the mound last year. Walker began the season with the club that drafted him, the Seattle Mariners, before being traded to the Blue Jays at the deadline. Walker posted a 2.70 ERA with a 1.16 WHIP over a combined 11 starts and was especially good after being traded to Toronto Buffalo, posting a 1.37 ERA with a 1.25 WHIP over 26.1 innings for the Jays.

Walker slots into the back of the Mets’ rotation behind Jacob deGrom, Marcus Stroman, and Carlos Carrasco. While Noah Syndergaard will return to the Mets’ rotation at some point this season, the team will likely begin the season with Joey Lucchesi or David Peterson in the fifth starter role.

The Walker signing adds some more punch to a Mets offseason that has been solid, but not quite as impressive as many people expected with Steve Cohen taking over as the club’s primary owner. In addition to acquiring Carrasco and Francisco Lindor from the Indians, they’ve signed catcher James McCann, relievers Trevor May and Aaron Loup, infielder Jonathan Villar, and outfielders Albert Almora Jr., José Martínez, and Kevin Pillar.