D-Backs agree to six-year deal with Greinke
The Diamondbacks have agreed to a six-year contract with free agent right-hander Zack Greinke, CBS Sports MLB Insider Jon Heyman has confirmed. Financial terms of the deal are unknown at this time. The contract is pending a physical.
Greinke, 32, was arguably the best free agent starter on the market this offseason and inarguably the best once David Price agreed to a seven-year contract with the Red Sox. Heyman recently reported Greinke could exceed Price’s $31 million average annual salary.
In recent days the NL West rival Dodgers and Giants were bidding for Greinke. It wasn’t until Friday afternoon that we learned the D-Backs were pursuing the right-hander, and even then it was unclear if they were willing to make a competitive offer, or just trying to drive up the price.
Arizona made a run at Johnny Cueto earlier this offseason, offering a six-year deal worth $120 million. That showed the team was willing to spend big this offseason. The D-Backs signed a new and very lucrative television contract not too long ago, which surely helped land Greinke.
In 2015, the D-Backs went 79-83 and finished 13 games back of the Dodgers in the NL West. Those 79 wins represented a 15-win improvement from 2014. Greinke is joining a strong core that includes Paul Goldschmidt, A.J. Pollock, Patrick Corbin, Ender Inciarte and Robbie Ray.
Because the Dodgers made Greinke a qualifying offer, the D-Backs will forfeit their first round pick (13th overall) to sign the right-hander. Los Angeles will receive a supplemental first round pick as compensation. That usually slots in somewhere around No. 30-35 overall.
Greinke is coming off a season in which he pitched to an MLB-leading 1.66 ERA in 222 2/3 innings for the Dodgers. For his career, Greinke owns an ERA of 3.35 (123 ERA+) and 3.71 K/BB ratio across parts of 12 big-league seasons.
Back in 2009, Greinke won the Cy Young as a member of the Royals. He finished runner-up to Jake Arrieta in the 2015 NL balloting. He’ll enter the 2016 season needing eight victories for career win No. 150. Greinke also enter 2016 with more than $110 million in career salary to date.
Zack Greinke is a free agent no more. (USATSI)
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