Diamondbacks agree to $80M deal with pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez

Dec. 7 (UPI) -- The Arizona Diamondbacks agreed to a four-year, $80 million contract with free agent Eduardo Rodriguez, taking one of the top left-handed starting pitchers off the market.

Sources told ESPN, MLB.com and The Athletic about the agreement Wednesday night. The deal includes an option for 2028 and bonuses, which can increase its value to $99 million.

Rodriguez, 30, went 13-9 with a career-best 3.30 ERA over 26 starts last season for the Detroit Tigers. He has an 82-53 record with a 4.03 ERA over 202 career appearances, including 196 starts.

Rodriguez went 64-39 with a 4.16 ERA in 159 appearances over his first six seasons with the Boston Red Sox. He won a World Series in 2018 and went 19-6 with a 3.81 ERA over a league-high 34 starts in 2019. He finished sixth that season in the American League Cy Young Award race.

He signed as a free agent in 2021 with the Tigers. Rodriguez logged a 4.05 ERA with a 5-5 record over 17 starts in 2022.

He is expected to fit into a Diamondbacks rotation that includes right-handed pitchers Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, Brandon Pfaadt and fellow left-hander Tommy Henry.