Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com reported Saturday that the Dodgers and left-handed starter Ted Lilly were “close” on a new three-year contract. Now, according to Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times, that deal is complete.
No financial details have been released because Lilly still needs to pass a physical. That should take place early next week.
Lilly, 34, turned in a stellar 3.62 ERA and 1.08 WHIP over 30 starts this season, striking out 166 batters and walking only 44 over 193.2 innings. He began his 2010 campaign in Chicago, where a poor offense led him to a 3-8 win-loss record over his first 18 starts. A trade at the July deadline brought him to Los Angeles, however, where he finished 7-4 with a 0.99 WHIP over his final 12 outings.
For Lilly to pass on an opportunity to test the free agent market, he must have been handsomely rewarded by the Dodgers. Many believed that the club -- still being killed by the McCourts’ divorce proceedings -- would not be able to make many large-scale moves this offseason. So far, that idea looks to be incorrect.
