The Arizona Diamondbacks have reportedly agreed to a contract with free agent pitcher Zack Greinke on a deal worth $206 million over six years. According to ESPN and media reports, Greinke has agreed to a deal with an annual value of $34.3 million, which is the most ever for a pitcher in baseball history.
ESPN is reporting that the deal is worth a total of $206 million, while Jon Heyman at CBS Sports reports that there is $60 million in deferred money, making the value around $190 million. Greinke was considered to the top pitcher on the market along with David Price coming into free agency and now both players have signed major contracts, with Price officially signing with the Red Sox on Friday for $217 million.
Greinke reportedly was looking for a higher annual salary than Price received and based on reports about the Diamondbacks deal, Greinke will get the number. Crasnick reports that there is no opt-out in the deal for Greinke and Ken Rosenthal called the deal a major "surprise" after the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants were reported to be the favorites to land the 32-year-old pitcher.
According to ESPN, the final offer from the Dodgers was for five years and that helped the Diamondbacks make a late push to sign Greinke. Last season Greinke had a historic year, posting a 1.66 ERA with a 19-3 record and he finished as one of the finalists in the Cy Young voting, coming in as the runner-up to Jake Arrieta.
Greinke opted out of his contract with the Dodgers after the season while it still had three years and $71 million on it. Greinke and Clayton Kershaw combined to be one of the top pitching duos in baseball over the past few years and now the Dodgers will have to find a way to make up for his production. Players like Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija are available in free agency and could be potential targets.
The Diamondbacks are looking to rebound after going 79-83 last season and now Greinke joins a core of players that includes Paul Goldschmidt and AJ Pollock.
Check here for more on Greinke and the Diamondbacks.
"We made a very strong offer to retain Zack but clearly he found a deal that fit better for him and his family," Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said in a statement Friday, according to ESPN. "We are now hard at work on our alternatives. We wish Zack, Emily and Bode all the bet going forward."
