The deal was finalized Tuesday when Perez passed his physical.

The contract does not include an option of any kind, sources said.

Perez, 27, wanted a longer contract, but the Mets held firm on three years, securing him for what should be the prime of his career.

The news of Perez's return to the Mets, first reported by the New York Post, could trigger a domino effect with other pitchers remaining on the free-agent market.

The Dodgers have maintained almost daily contact with the agents for left-hander Randy Wolf, and the two sides made "a little" progress over the weekend, one source said.

Righty Ben Sheets — who, like Wolf, represented a fallback position for the Mets — could end up with the Rangers, but only on the club's preferred terms. Sheets' talks with Texas have "less momentum" than they did 10 days ago, according to a source.

The Mets began their negotiations with Perez by offering him a three-year, $33 million contract, sources said — higher than their reported three-year, $30 million proposal.