Scott Boras: Signing Max Scherzer proved Mets were 'championship-level organization'

Agent Scott Boras thinks the New York Mets made quite a statement of intent roughly one year ago. 

"When (Mets owner) Steve Cohen reached out and signed Max Scherzer, he really raised the flag that 'we're here to be a championship-level organization,'" Boras explained while speaking with reporters at the general managers meetings in Las Vegas on Wednesday, per Ryan Chichester of Audacy and SNY. "And the influence of Max on the team, their intensity, the pitching staff, the audience. I think that it brought really credible illustration to what the new Met organization is about. And that had not been there for a long time, there had not been a marquee brought to Citi Field. And I think bringing that there really changed the perception of players, how they look at the Mets, what they do."

Scherzer put pen to paper on a three-year, $130M contract with the Mets last offseason after they signed star shortstop Francisco Lindor to a 10-year extension that could be worth up to $341M ahead of the 2021 campaign. On Wednesday, the Mets confirmed they've signed closer Edwin Diaz to a five-year, $102M contract. 

Scherzer, Lindor, Diaz, manager Buck Showalter, and others helped the Mets win 101 regular-season games this year, but the Amazins nevertheless fell short of claiming the National League East title and then lost to the San Diego Padres in the wild-card round of the playoffs. 

"I think Buck's role in working and dealing with players has really been something in the player community that has been an advantage for them," Boras added about the Mets. "I think they're very well-received in the player community, no question."

Boras offered his comments as Mets fans continue to wait for news regarding the future of ace Jacob deGrom, who opted out of his contract earlier this week. For a piece published Wednesday morning, ESPN's Kiley McDaniel suggested the Mets may be able to keep deGrom by offering him a three-year contract worth around $132M. It's unclear if the club is willing to go that high to keep deGrom in the rotation.