Zack Greinke Passes Physical, Dodgers Deal Official

The Los Angeles Dodgers have signed right haander Zack Greinke to a new six-year, $147 million contract. The deal became official on Monday after Greinke passed his physical.

Greinke is one expensive number two starter. Image: US Presswire

Greinke’s new contract ranks among the richest ever given to any pitcher, coming in as the thrid-richest ever and richest ever for a right handed pitcher. The 2009 American League Cy Young award winner won the award by posting a 2.16 ERA that season. In the three years since, Greinke has pitched a combined 604 innings and pitched to a 3.83 ERA – certainly a good number, but worthy of a contract so large?

I guess when you are the Dodgers and you are about to finalize a television rights deal that will pay your franchise upwards to $260 million every year, the value of a player is different for you than it might be for any other club. Is Greinke worth $25 million per year to a team not named the Dodgers? Probably not. But the Dodgers play a different game by different rules and so Greinke’s value is relative. When it came down to it, the Dodgers got the player they wanted and they were willing to go above and beyond anyone else to  get him.

Think about this: Greinke will make more money than any right hander ever and he’ll be the Dodgers number two starter. He’s not even their ace.

In addition to Greinke, the Dodgers also landed Korean left hander Hyun-jin Ryu by agreeing on a six-year deal with him. Their total investment, including posting fee, comes in at just over $61 million.

With now eight viable starting picthers on their roster, Dodgers GM Ned Colleti says he will explore trades involving his extra starters.