Mets Reportedly Will Sign Seaver

The New York Mets, whose pitching staff has been depleted by injuries, will sign Tom Seaver today, the Associated Press reported Friday.

Seaver, a free agent, will return to the Mets for the third time in his career. The signing is expected to take place before the Mets’ game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Seaver, 42, has a 311-205 career record. He has not pitched since last August, when a knee injury finished his season with the Boston Red Sox.

The Mets began negotiating with Seaver last month after Bob Ojeda and David Cone were lost for the year with injuries and Rick Aguilera was sidelined for at least eight weeks.

Seaver became a free agent when he did not re-sign with the Red Sox after last season. The three-time Cy Young Award winner has a 2.86 earned-run average for 20 seasons. He has 3,640 strikeouts.

Seaver started last season with the Chicago White Sox and was traded to Boston June 29. He was 7-13 overall, including a 5-7 record with a 3.80 ERA for the Red Sox. Seaver did not pitch in the American League playoffs or the World Series because of a knee injury.

Seaver began his major league career with the Mets in 1967 and won the National League Cy Young Award in 1969, 1973 and 1975.