All-Star Carlos Rodon joins Giants as MLB free agency bedlam begins

Baseball is back and that means free agency is, too.

Former White Sox pitcher Carlos Rodon has agreed to sign with the San Francisco Giants on a two-year deal worth $44 million, according to ESPN.

The deal reportedly includes an opt-out after the first season.

Rodon is coming off a stellar season with Chicago, where he led the White Sox in wins with 13, pitched his first career no-hitter and was named to his first All-Star Game. He also posted a team-best 2.37 ERA and had 185 strikeouts in 132.2 innings.

The 29-year-old lefty was the first big free-agent domino to fall after the 99-day MLB lockout came to a close.

If Rodon can stay healthy, he’ll be a key piece of the rotation for the Giants, who won an MLB-best 107 games in 2021 before losing in five games to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Division Series.

Unlike Rodon, however, longtime Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw opted to stay put. The 33-year-old World Series champ agreed to a one-year deal with Los Angeles, pending a physical, The Post’s Joel Sherman confirmed.

Kershaw missed the 2021 postseason with an elbow injury, but told The Athletic on Friday he is healthy.

Several big names remain on the market with plenty of suitors ready to make big-money offers with the lockout over and training camps beginning to open. Shortstops Carlos Correa and Trevor Story, along with first baseman Freddie Freeman are expected to cash in this spring.