Jake Arrieta finally found a deal he liked.
The free agent ace and the Philadelphia Phillies have reached agreement on a three-year contract, two people familiar with the decision told The Associated Press.
Ace in the making, Aaron Nola has the right stuff
Both people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity Sunday because the deal, reportedly worth $75 million, is pending a physical. Arrieta is joining the Phillies just 2 ½ weeks before opening day.
The 32-year-old Arrieta was among several top free agents who didn’t get a contract for six or seven seasons in a changing market. The Phillies, who have plenty of money to spend, waited until the price was right for them.
Arrieta won the 2015 NL Cy Young Award with the Chicago Cubs and helped them win the World Series the next season. The right-hander was 14-10 with a 3.53 ERA last year.
Yu Darvish throws 2 hitless innings in Cubs spring training debut
The Phillies went 66-96 and finished last in the NL East, and haven’t had a winning season since 2011. But they’ve added veteran slugger Carlos Santana, Arrieta and quality relievers to a young nucleus that could show considerable improvement.
AROUND THE GRAPEFRUIT AND CACTUS LEAGUES
ASTROS 5, METS 2
Jacob deGrom made his spring debut for New York, pitching 2 2/3 innings and allowing two hits and a walk. DeGrom, who has been bothered by back stiffness since the start of camp, had his fastball reach 98 mph and struck out the side in the first. Yoenis Cespedes hit his third home run for the Mets.
Houston starter Lance McCullers Jr. went 3 2/3 innings and gave up one run on four hits and a walk while striking out five.
MARLINS 7, YANKEES 5
Aaron Judge homered for the first time this spring and Didi Gregorius hit his second for New York. Both home runs came against Miami prospect Sandy Alcantara, who pitched the last four innings in relief.
Jordan Montgomery got the start for the Yankees, pitching 2 1/3 innings and allowing four runs on five hits and two walks. Brian Anderson hit a three-run homer for the Marlins and Cameron Maybin added a two-run shot.
CARDINALS 4, NATIONALS 3
Luke Weaver pitched four perfect innings and struck out four in his third start for St. Louis. Jose Martinez had two hits for the Cardinals, driving in a pair with a home run.
Anthony Rendon doubled and scored for Washington, while Matt Reynolds homered for the first time. Tanner Roark started for the Nationals, pitching four innings and allowing three runs on five hits and two walks.
ORIOLES (SS) 7, RED SOX 3
Colby Rasmus and Chance Sisco drove in first-inning runs against Boston starter Rick Porcello, who pitched four innings, allowing four runs and seven hits.
Mookie Betts homered for the first time this spring and walked twice for the Red Sox and Hanley Ramirez had two hits and an RBI.
TWINS 6, RAYS 5
Three-time batting champion Joe Mauer doubled, drew a bases-loaded walk and scored while leading off for Minnesota.
Jake Faria, slotted as the No. 3 starter as Tampa Bay experiments with a four-man rotation, struggled in his third outing. His ERA climbed to 16.62 after retiring just five batters and surrendering five runs — four earned — on seven hits and two walks.
TIGERS 6, BRAVES 3
Miguel Cabrera had two hits, including a three-run double, and Victor Martinez had his fourth homer for Detroit. Francisco Liriano, in the mix for a back-of-the-rotation spot, started for the Tigers and pitched three shutout innings, allowing two hits and two walks while striking out four.
Ender Inciarte doubled and singled for Atlanta.
PIRATES 5, BLUE JAYS 0
Gregory Polanco and Adam Frazier homered for Pittsburgh. Toronto starter Joe Biagini gave up five runs on four hits and two walks in 1 2/3 innings.
REDS 6, MARINERS 5
Ichiro Suzuki went 0 for 3, striking out twice while leading off for Seattle in his first spring appearance. Mariners second baseman Robinson Cano exited early with tightness in his left hamstring. Reds starter Brandon Finnegan left after two batters with a forearm spasm. Billy Hamilton singled to snap a 0-for-18 start for Cincinnati.
The Reds said pitcher Anthony DeSclafani has an oblique injury. No timetable has been set for his return.
ATHLETICS 7, CUBS 2
Yu Darvish breezed through the first three innings before running into trouble in the fourth. He left after Jed Lowrie doubled and scored on Matt Olson’s single.
Kyle Schwarber and Chris Gimenez hit back-to-back home runs off Oakland starter Sean Manea.
INDIANS (SS) 3, ROYALS 1
Roberto Perez and Brandon Barnes homered for Cleveland’s split squad. Nathan Karns started for Kansas City, pitching three innings and allowing two runs on three hits while striking out five. Alex Gordon and newly signed Jon Jay combined to go 0-for-6 with three strikeouts at the top of the Royals’ lineup.
BREWERS 5, INDIANS (SS) 4
Jason Kipnis tripled and singled for a Cleveland split squad, raising his batting average to .520. Carlos Carrasco got the start for the Indians, giving up just one hit in three shutout innings while striking out six.
Keon Broxton singled and scored and swiped his fifth base for Milwaukee. Wade Miley started for the Brewers, pitching five innings and giving up two runs on three hits and three walks.
ANGELS 4, RANGERS 3
Bartolo Colon, trying to earn a rotation spot with Texas at 44, allowed one unearned run in four innings, giving up two hits and striking out three. Justin Upton hit a three-run homer for Los Angeles. JC Ramirez started for the Angels, pitching 4 1/3 innings and giving up one hit — Nomar Mazara’s home run — while striking out six.
DODGERS 13, ROCKIES 7
Chris Taylor drove in three runs with two hits and Matt Kemp and Yasmani Grandal homered for Los Angeles. Dodgers starter Hyun-Jin Ryu didn’t fare well in his first start, pitching 2 2/3 innings and allowing four runs on two hits and two walks.
Trevor Story had a two-run double for Colorado and Chris Iannetta hit his third home run. Rockies starter German Marquez was roughed up in 2 2/3 innings, tagged for eight runs on nine hits and two walks.
WHITE SOX 6, DIAMONDBACKS 5
Chicago top prospect Eloy Jimenez had two more hits, giving him two home runs and a triple in his first four at-bats of the spring. Jose Abreu homered for the second time and Yoan Moncada hit his first for the White Sox. Chicago starter Reynaldo Lopez pitched 4 1/3 shutout innings. Patrick Corbin allowed three runs on five hits and two walks, going four innings in a start for Arizona.
GIANTS 5, PADRES 4
Hunter Pence, who came into the game batting .105, hit a grand slam in San Francisco’s five-run first inning and the Giants held on for the win.
Ty Blach gave up three runs and three hits in four innings for the Giants.
Jose Pirela and Wil Myers homered for the Padres, and San Diego starter Luis Perdomo gave up the five runs and five hits with four walks in three innings.
ORIOLES ( SS) 4, PHILLIES 0
Caleb Joseph followed Austin Hays’ RBI single in the fifth inning with a two-run homer off Philadelphia starter Nick Pivetta.
Andrew Cashner gave up one hit and walked three with two strikeouts in four innings for Baltimore.
Pivetta gave up the three runs and four hits in 4 2/3 innings.
