Arbitration eligible for the first time, Rick Porcello has avoided a hearing by signing a one-year deal with the Tigers.
Jason Beck of MLB.com reports that Porcello will get $3.1 million after making $1.5 million last season as part of the major-league contract he signed after being drafted out of high school by the Tigers in 2007.
Porcello has followed up a strong rookie season with back-to-back underwhelming years, including a 4.75 ERA and 104/46 K/BB ratio in 182 innings last season. He’s still just 23 years old, but the right-hander has managed only 4.7, 4.6, and 5.1 strikeouts per nine innings through three seasons while allowing opponents to hit .283 off him.
Because he qualifies as a “Super-Two” player Porcello has four arbitration seasons instead of the usual three, so he’s under the Tigers’ control through 2015 and they can hold off on any thoughts of a long-term extension.
UPDATE: Beck reports that the Tigers have also agreed to a one-year deal with arbitration-eligible left-hander Phil Coke.
