After some talk recently that free agent Jeremy Guthrie had priced himself out of the Royals’ range the two sides have agreed to a three year deal worth $25 million, according to Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star.
Guthrie was a solid innings-eater for the Orioles, but things went horribly for him following a trade to the Rockies last offseason. He threw 91 innings for Colorado with a 6.35 ERA and .324 opponents’ batting average, at which point the Rockies dumped him on the Royals in exchange for Jonathan Sanchez.
And then Guthrie turned things around in Kansas City, starting 12 games with a 3.16 ERA to convince the Royals he was worth making a three-year commitment to at age 34. He’ll get $5 million in 2013, $11 million in 2014, and $9 million in 2015.
He’s thrown at least 175 innings in six straight seasons, but Guthrie has never managed an above-average strikeout rate despite good velocity and his career ERA as a starter is 4.21. He’s a solid, durable third or fourth starter entering his mid-30s and that type of player certainly has plenty of value, but a three-year, $25 million commitment seems awfully rich.