Greinke agrees to six-year deal with Diamondbacks

Zack Greinke of the Los Angeles Dodgerspitches during a game against the New York Mets at DodgerStadium. The deal is worth $195 million according to USA Today’s bob Nightengale.

Greinke in parts of 12 major league seasons is 142-93 with a 3.35 ERA, with 1,887 strikeouts in 2,094⅔ innings. During one stretch of the season, Greinke threw 45 2/3 scoreless innings. 500 in 2015. With Greinke at the top of their rotation, Corbin ready to come back strong, and several talented young pitchers waiting in the wings, Arizona’s pitching staff will be significantly improved in 2016.

Unlike Greinke, signing Leake wouldn’t require the Diamondbacks to part with a draft pick since he was traded by the Cincinnati Reds during the season.

Their largest free-agent contracts had been Yasmany Tomas ($68.5 million) and Randy Johnson ($52 million), while their payroll has not exceeded $100 since 2002.

Greinke’s deal comes the same day David Price officially signed a seven-year, $217 million deal with the Boston Red Sox, the richest for a pitcher in Major League Baseball history. Nobody expected Greinke to sign with the D-Backs, because earlier in the week it was said he would either sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers or the San Francisco Giants.

Zack Greinke, the free agent pitcher who reportedly was deciding between the Giants and Dodgers, has instead agreed to a six-year deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The 32-year-old Greinke helped the Dodgers win their third straight division title this season, then opted out of his contract to become a free agent. That translates to an average annual value of $34.42 million per season – a record for a baseball player and more than the $30.7 million that the Dodgers are paying Clayton Kershaw through 2020. Greinke, at age 32, is a gamble, particularly for a team that still might have a ways to go before they can be considered a serious playoff threat.

Last season, the Diamondbacks struggled with a young and inconsistent rotation.

Greinke’s ultimate landing place was a surprise, but the Dodgers’ reluctance to offer him a six-year contract wasn’t.

Greinke was the second former AL Cy Young victor to get a mega-contract this week. Arizona finished second in the National League in runs scored a year ago, behind only the Colorado Rockies, who were aided by playing half their games at Coors Field. Meanwhile, the Dodgers and Giants likely have some new found motivation that could lead to a more aggressive approach in the weeks ahead. He posted a 2.77 ERA in 33 starts for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2015 and has an 8-5 postseason record.