Arizona outbids rivals on Greinke

The Arizona Diamondbacks reportedly have landed an ace to lead their pitching staff. According to FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal, Arizona has an agreement in place with Los Angeles Dodgers free agent Zack Greinke. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity Friday night, Dec.4, 2015, because there had not been an official announcement. Yes, the Diamondbacks. Not the San Francisco Giants or the Los Angeles Dodgers, who were the supposed front-runners for the right-hander. It might be unfair or even unrealistic to expect another season like that, but at 32 Greinke figures to have enough fuel left to remain very effective on the front side of his deal.

With the Dodgers last season, Greinke closed with a 1.66 ERA and went 19-6.

At an average of over $34.3 million a season, Greinke will be paid higher than Price, who on Friday officially agreed to a seven-year deal with the Boston Red Sox at $217 million, or $31 million a year. He has worked in recent years as a guest instructor for the San Francisco Giants in spring training.

The deep thinking, somewhat eccentric, often wry and hyper-athletic Greinke emerged in 2015 as the Dodgers’ co-ace, an extraordinary development given his partner at the top of the rotation was three-time Cy Young Award victor (and one-time MVP) Kershaw. For his career, Greinke owns an ERA of 3.35 (123 ERA+) and 3.71 K/BB ratio across parts of 12 big-league seasons.

Arizona has had just one starter during the past decade qualify for the ERA title with an ERA lower than 3.00, according to ESPN Stats & Info.

Greinke will also be backed by a lineup that scored the second-most runs in the National League – only the altitude-aided Colorado Rockies scored more – and features All-Stars in their primes in first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and center fielder A.J. Pollock. Greinke averaged 17 wins, 201 innings, 185 strikeouts and a 2.30 ERA in his three years with the Dodgers. He struck out 200 in 222-2/3 innings. He didn’t start a game in the National League division series against the New York Mets.

The 32-year-old Greinke instantly makes the Diamondbacks go from a playoff afterthought to a legitimate contender.

Major League Baseball draft: Greinke was a first-round pick of the Kansas City Royals in 2002, Johnson was second-round pick of the Montreal Expos in 1985.

Friedman said Tuesday the Dodgers were looking to add at least one more starting pitcher this off-season.

“I think as we sit here today, we’re in a much better spot in terms of the depth that we have in triple A than we were a year ago, which obviously helps navigate a season”, Friedman said.