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Trevor Cahill agrees to long-term contract extension with A’s

Oakland Athletics v Milwaukee Brewers

PHOENIX, AZ - MARCH 03: Starting pitcher Trevor Cahill #53 of the Oakland Athletics pitches against the Milwaukee Brewers during the spring training game at Maryvale Baseball Park on March 3, 2011 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

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Trevor Cahill and the A’s were said to be on the verge of a long-term contract extension last week and today the two sides made everything official, announcing a deal that’s essentially identical to the extension Clay Buchholz just signed with the Red Sox.

Cahill, like Buchholz, would have been arbitration eligible for the first time next season and could have become a free agent following 2014.

Cahill’s contract is technically being phrased as a five-year, $30.5 million deal with team options for 2016 and 2017, but because his in-progress 2011 is being included in that accounting the new upfront money is really $30.1 million for four years.

Cahill gets $30.1 million for 2012-2015, with the A’s holding a $13 million option or $300,000 buyout for 2016 and a $13.5 million option or $500,000 buyout for 2017.

Buchholz got $30.5 million for 2012-2015, with the Red Sox holding a $13 million option or $250,000 buyout for 2016 and a $13.5 million option or $500,000 buyout for 2017.

And it makes sense that their extensions would be nearly identical. Cahill is a couple years younger than Buchholz, but they have identical service time and extremely similar career numbers. Cahill has a 3.69 ERA in 388 innings. Buchholz has a 3.77 ERA in 374 innings.

Good deals for both teams, as the risk is relatively minimal compared to the potential reward of controlling each pitcher’s first three seasons of free agency at what will no doubt be below-market prices by 2015.