The Shark has found new waters. Free agent starting pitcher Jeff Samardzija has agreed to a reported 5-year contract with the San Francisco Giants, per Alex Pavlovic, which is worth $90 million, according to Tim Brown.
Jeff Samardzija signs with San Francisco Giants, per reports
Caylor Arnold-USA TODAY Sports
Samardzija, 31 in January, was 11-13 with a 4.96 ERA in 32 starts for the Chicago White Sox in 2015, with 163 strikeouts and 49 walks in 214 innings. He led the American League with 29 home runs allowed last year, and led the majors in both hits allowed (228) and earned runs (118).
Samardzija was ranked as the 23rd-best free agent this offseason back in October by our own Grant Brisbee.
He made $9.8 million with Chicago in 2015.
The contract is about what was expected since Samardzija’s camp reportedly told teams during negotiations that he had an offer over $100 million in hand.
Samardzija declined a qualifying offer of one year, $15.8 million from the White Sox in November, meaning San Francisco has to forfeit its first-round pick in the 2016 draft. The White Sox will receive an extra draft pick in the supplemental round between the first and second rounds
The athletic right-hander played wide receiver at Notre Dame, and was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the fifth round of the 2006 draft. He pitched the first 6½ seasons of his major league career with the Cubs before getting traded to the Oakland A's at the trade deadline in 2014. Oakland traded Samardzija back to Chicago, this time on the south side, last offseason.
After pitching in relief in the majors through 2011, Samardzija switched to starting in 2012 and has averaged 206 innings and 190 strikeouts per year over the last four seasons, with a 4.06 ERA and 3.69 FIP during that span.
Since he became a starter, Samardzija's 822 innings pitched are 10th-most in baseball, and he is one of only three pitchers to throw at least 210 innings in each of the last three seasons, along with Max Scherzer and R.A. Dickey.
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