Ervin Santana was a solid alternative to the top arms in this free-agent class and the Minnesota Twins took advantage, agreeing to a four-year deal worth $54 million, according to Yahoo! Sports' Jeff Passan.
Ervin Santana, Twins agree to 4-year, $54 million contract
The Twins are taking a risk, but they might end up with a good pitcher.
Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports
The Twins on Friday announced the agreement, which also includes a club option for 2019 that could vest.
A year ago, Santana saw his market stagnate after receiving a qualifying offer from the Royals before settling on a one-year, $14.1 million deal with the Braves. Now, with another solid season under his belt, Santana earned himself a four-year contract despite having draft pick compensation attached to him yet again.
The 31-year-old Santana finished 2014 with a 3.95 ERA and 3.39 FIP over 31 starts, striking out 179 batters and walking 63 in 196 innings pitched. It marked the fifth straight season that Santana has made at least 30 starts, and his second straight strong campaign after a disastrous 2012 in which he posted the fifth-highest ERA in baseball. He is obviously an up-and-down arm, but if he can stay on the useful side for most of this deal, it will help the Twins reach for relevance once more.
Santana has been quite a bit better since then, compiling a 3.24 ERA and over three times as many strikeouts as walks over 211 innings for the Royals in 2013 before moving onto Atlanta and pitching well again in 2014.
The right-hander turned down the Braves’ qualifying offer, meaning the Twins will forfeit their second-round pick in 2015 -- their first-round pick is protected -- for signing Santana. In return, Atlanta will receive a compensatory pick between the first and second rounds of the draft.
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