Twins Sign Nolasco SP 4 year 49 million

[mntwinsfan]

Twins Agree To Terms With Ricky Nolasco
By Steve Adams [November 27 at 7:55pm CST]
7:55pm: Nolasco's deal is a four-year, $49MM pact with an option for 2018, according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter). He'll get $12MM a year from 2014-2017 with a $1MM buyout on his option. The club option for 2018 worth $13MM. It can vest and turn into a player option based on innings pitched in 2016-17 (link).

6:51pm: The Twins have agreed to terms with right-hander Ricky Nolasco, according to Chris Cotillo of MLB Daily Dish (Twitter link). Nolasco is a client of Sosnick/Cobbe Sports.

Nolasco-Ricky

Nolasco split the 2013 season between the Marlins and Dodgers, totaling a 3.70 ERA with 7.4 K/9, 2.1 BB/9 and a 43 percent ground-ball rate. The soon-to-be 31-year-old was one of the earliest players to be moved this July, as the Dodgers sent a trio of minor leaguers (Josh Wall, Steve Ames and Angel Sanchez) and paid the roughly $6MM remaining in Nolasco's salary.

Nolasco figures to provide a serious jolt in the arm to a Twins' pitching staff that was sorely lacking reliable arms in the rotation. Twins starters ranked last in baseball in terms of ERA (5.26) and K/9 (4.9) -- both marks which Nolasco should aid considerably. The longtime Marlin and brief Dodger figures to join a rotation that will also include Kevin Correia and perhaps Samuel Deduno, but beyond that there are no true locks in the rotation. Top prospect Kyle Gibson struggled in his debut season but figures to receive another chance in 2014, and Alex Meyer, who ranks as MLB.com's No. 31 overall prospect, could have a chance as well. However, the Twins have voiced a desire to add a pair of veteran arms to their rotation this offseason, so I'd expect them to continue being active at next week's Winter Meetings.

While terms of the deal haven't surfaced at this time, Nolasco figures to shatter Josh Willingham's three-year, $21MM contract -- the Twins' previous record contract for a free agent. MLBTR's Tim Dierkes' most recent projection for Nolasco's contract was in the range of Edwin Jackson's four-year, $52MM deal.

MLBTR's Tim Dierkes first reported that the Twins were on the verge of a significant free agent signing.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

[mntwinsfan]

Good move for the Twins. Now sign Arroyo and Salty and we a had a fine off season!

[Tobywan]

I like this move, Ricky was one of the few bright spots for the Marlins in the past couple years, though I didn't see much of him once he went west.

[catman]

While Ricky Nolasco is no one's idea of a staff "ace", he is a solid pitcher who's stuff should play well in Target Field. I like the idea of signing him to a 4 year deal.

[Kingdom]

Nolasco might strike out a batter, nice chance of pace for the rotation