Lefty reliever Zach Duke off the board

Lefty reliever Zach Duke, who changed his delivery prior to 2014 and had a dominant season for the Brewers, has agreed to a multiyear deal with the White Sox.

Per the White Sox, the deal with Duke will be worth $15 million over three years.

Duke, 31, posted a 2.45 ERA and 1.13 WHIP in 58.2 innings (74 appearances) while striking out 11.35 batters per 9 this past season.

The biggest change for Duke in 2014 was the introduction of a cutter, which he used nearly 20 percent of the time.

Thoughts:

Duke would’ve been a perfect fit for the Mets, as they’re in search of another reliable lefty to pair with Josh Edgin.

However, committing three years and $5 million annually to Duke – after a career year that may have been a bit of an aberration – is not something I would’ve done if I was in Sandy Alderson’s shoes.

Another lefty for the pen is arguably the Mets’ second most important need (after a shortstop upgrade), so look for them to address it soon with Duke now locked up.

With Duke now off the board, other lefty relief possibilities for the Mets via free agency include Neal Cotts and Joe Thatcher.