Mets get Gary Matthews Jr. from Angels

SI’s Jon Heyman has reported the Mets will acquire outfielder Gary Matthews Jr. from the Angels. Heyman adds the Angels will pay a lot of his salary and the Mets did this because they are concerned about centerfielder Carlos Beltran. 

Matthews signed a five-year, $50 million contract with the Angels in 2006. A year later the Angels signed outfielder Torii Hunter to a five-year deal and Matthews’ productivity went down. He was part of the Mets organization in 2002.

Matthews has $23.5 million left on his contract and Heyman says Angels will pick up about $21.5 million of it.

Reliever Brian Stokes will go to the Angels in the deal.