Wagner to Mets

NEW YORK -- Fresh off announcing the arrival of first baseman Carlos Delgado, the New York Mets struck again Monday, reaching agreement with free-agent closer Billy Wagner on a four-year contract.

Wagner

Wagner, considered by many the top reliever on the free-agent market, will be paid $10.5 million for each 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009. There's an option for 2010, in which the club will either pay him $8 million -- bringing the deal to $50 million -- or buy him out for $1 million. Either way, Wagner is guaranteed $43 million over four years.

Wagner saved 38 games for the Philadelphia Phillies last season, when the four-time All-Star also went 4-3 with a 1.51 ERA. Wagner, who made 75 appearances this year, has 284 career saves.

Before the deal is finalized, Wagner must pass a physical, which is likely to take place Tuesday, before the agreement can be completed.

After spending most of his career with Houston, his two seasons with the Phillies showed the left-hander he could handle pitching in a tough city.

"I think if I had an opportunity to play in New York four or five years ago, I probably wouldn't have been as receptive to it," Wagner said. "After the trade of going to Philadelphia and playing there, I believe that's made it that much easier to handle the media, the pressures."

The Mets reached the agreement on the same day it introduced Delgado, acquired last week in a trade with the Florida Marlins.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.