The Mets missed an opportunity to bolster their bullpen-Sunday when left-wing reliever Brad Hand signed a one-year contract for $ 10.5 million with the Nationals.
Hand had been on Mets’ radar off-season and would have helped balance the club’s usually rightful relay corps.
Team Chairman Sandy Alderson previously said the Mets might have claimed direct waivers from Hand off in November for $ 10 million plus a $ 50,000 transaction fee, if the new owner led by Steve Cohen had been in charge at the time.
Hand, who turns 32 in March, eventually became a free agent. He was 2-1 with a 2.05 ERA, a 0.773 WHIP and 16 saves for Cleveland last season.
News of Hand’s deal with Washington was confirmed by The Post’s Joel Sherman.
The Mets have not had a general manager since Jared Porter was fired last week after it was revealed that he had been sending explicit texts to a female reporter while working for the Cubs five years earlier.
Alderson has since assumed GM responsibilities, a position he previously held with the Mets.