Arizona Diamondbacks sign free agent pitcher Bronson Arroyo
Feb 7, 2014, 9:52 PM | Updated: 10:11 pm
The Arizona Diamondbacks have signed veteran pitcher Bronson Arroyo, according to Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro.
Gambadoro is reporting the deal is for two years, with a team option for a third. ESPN’s Buster Olney reports Arroyo will be paid $9.5 million in each of the first two years, with a $4.5 million buyout or $11 million option in 2016.
So in total, as Gambadoro also reported, Arroyo is guaranteed at least $23.5 million in the deal.
Arroyo went 14-12 in 32 starts with the Cincinnati Reds last season. He had an ERA of 3.79 and struck out 124 batters in 202 innings of work.
A known innings eater, Arroyo has topped the 200-inning mark in eight of his 10 seasons since becoming a full-time starter in 2004.
In 2006, he led baseball with 240.2 innings pitched.
Arroyo, who will be 37 on opening day, pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Boston Red Sox before joining the Reds in 2006.
For his career, Arroyo is 138-127 with a 4.19 ERA.
The Diamondbacks were reportedly the favorites to sign Arroyo earlier in the week.
Earlier in the offseason the D-backs, who had been known to be seeking another starting pitcher, made a run at Japanese star Masahiro Tanaka. The right-hander decided to sign with the New York Yankees.
Arroyo told ESPN’s Jayson Stark last week contracts like the one Tanaka received frustrated him.
“I get (Clayton) Kershaw,” Arroyo said. “I get why he got all that money. But then you’ve got guys like Dice-K (Matsuzaka), who came over here and was good for the first couple years but then didn’t pan out. And when he doesn’t pan out, they all just forget and go on to the next guy who’s not proven, and pay him.
“Meanwhile, they forget about guys like me, who have done the job for the last eight or 10 years, and treat them like they’ve never done anything in this game. That’s hard, man.”
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