A right-hander who was born in Rochester and turns 31 next month, Redding was 10-11 with a 4.95 ERA last season for the Washington Nationals - the only 10-game winner on the team. He allowed 27 homers in 182 innings.
Redding had a $1 million base salary last year and earned $125,000 in performance bonuses. Washington failed to offer him a contract by the Dec. 12 deadline, allowing him to become a free agent rather than make him eligible for salary arbitration.
Mets officials met earlier this week with agent Scott Boras, who represents free-agent pitchers Derek Lowe and Oliver Perez. Lowe met with Braves manager Bobby Cox on Thursday in Atlanta.
New York has made a three-year offer to Lowe, apparently preferring to sign him rather than to retain Perez, who spent the past two years in the Mets' rotation.
New York currently has a projected rotation that includes Johan Santana, John Maine and Mike Pelfrey. The Mets have not ruled out re-signing free agent Pedro Martinez.
