SAN DIEGO -- The Texas Rangers agreed to terms on a two-year deal with free agent starting pitcher Andrew Heaney on Tuesday, further bolstering a rotation that previously added Jacob deGrom, a source told ESPN.
Heaney's two-year deal, which is pending a physical, is valued at $25 million but can increase to $37 million with incentives. It includes an opt-out after Year 1.
Heaney, 31, rebuilt his value on a star-studded Los Angeles Dodgers team last season, thanks in large part to the development of a slider. The left-hander accumulated only 72â…” innings, but he posted a 3.10 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP while striking out a career-high 13.6 batters per nine innings.
The Rangers spent a combined $500 million on middle infielders Corey Seager and Marcus Semien last offseason and have now added two prominent starting pitchers to a needy rotation after agreeing to a five-year, $185 million deal with deGrom on Friday. Those two will join holdovers Jon Gray, Jake Odorizzi and Martin Perez.
Heaney has posted a 4.56 ERA in a nine-year career spent mostly with the Los Angeles Angels. He has made 30 starts only once, with the Angels in 2018, when he contributed a 4.15 ERA in 180 innings. But Heaney has been highly coveted these past two offseasons, with teams believing they can maximize his potential by altering the shape and usage of certain pitches.
This offseason was no different.
Ultimately, a source said, Heaney accepted slightly less money to pitch closer to his home in Oklahoma.
