Zack Greinke Signs $206 Million Deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks
Free agent pitcher Zack Greinke is going to the Arizona Diamondbacks, several media outlets have reported.
The deal, which is worth $206 million for six years with no opt-out clause, comes after ace David Price agreed to a massive contract with the Boston Red Sox. Price's deal is worth $217 million for seven years with the option to opt out after season three. Greinke, 32, will be making an average of $34.5 million, which is the highest for a pitcher.
The signing comes to a surprise to many who believed that the two heavy favorites to sign the pitcher were the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants. Greinke was reportedly seeking an annual salary of about $31.5 million to $32 million, ESPN's Jerry Crasnick.
"We made a very strong offer to retain Zack but clearly he found a deal that fit better for him and his family," Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said in a statement on Friday. "We are now hard at work on our alternatives. We wish Zack, Emily and Bode all the bet going forward."
The Dodgers reportedly offered five years.
In the 2015 season, Greinke recorded a league-best of 1.66 ERA with a 0.84 WHIP with the Dodgers. Greinke's ERA was also the lowest in 20 years. After the Dodgers' playoff run ended, Greinke opted out of his contract, which has three years and $71 million left.
