Free agent starting pitcher Yovani Gallardo has found a new team, agreeing to terms with the Baltimore Orioles on a reported three-year, $35 million contract, per Jon Heyman and Ken Rosenthal, the latter of Fox Sports.
Yovani Gallardo reportedly gets 3-year, $35 million deal from Orioles
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The contract includes a club option for a fourth season in 2019 worth $13 million, per Chris Cotillo of SB Nation.
Gallardo was rated as the 18th-best free agent this offseason by our own Grant Brisbee in October.
Gallardo was 13-11 with a 3.42 ERA in 33 starts in 2015 in his first season with the Texas Rangers, after spending the first eight years of his career with the Milwaukee Brewers. He made $13 million in 2015 in the final season of a five-year contract originally signed with Milwaukee.
His 121 strikeouts in 2015 marked a career low for a full season but also was part of a downward trend. Gallardo struck out at least 200 in four straight seasons from 2009-2012, with a 24.5-percent strikeout rate during that span. In the three years since, Gallardo averaged 137 strikeouts with a 17.2-percent strikeout rate from 2013-2015.
Gallardo has been quite durable, one of just seven pitchers in MLB to make at least 30 starts in each of the last seven seasons.
The right-hander, who turns 30 in February, won’t get to hit as often with the designated hitter in the American League, but Gallardo is the active leader among pitchers with 12 career home runs.
Gallardo declined a qualifying offer from the Rangers in November, turning down a one-year, $15.8 million contract to pursue free agency. Baltimore has to forfeit its first-round pick, which would have been No. 14 in the 2016 draft, while Texas will receive an extra draft pick in the supplemental round between the first and second rounds.
The Orioles might not be done with big-ticket free agents, either. The club may be willing to part with its next-highest pick, currently No. 28 overall, in order to sign Dexter Fowler, per Rosenthal, who also reported Baltimore has shown alternate interest in free agent Pedro Alvarez and Reds outfielder Jay Bruce. The Orioles' desire is to sign Fowler to a deal somewhere near the two-year, $20 million deal Howie Kendrick signed with the Dodgers, per Buster Olney of ESPN.
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