The Baltimore Orioles upgraded their starting rotation by signing free agent pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez to a four-year contract worth $48 million.
According to ESPN, Jimenez turned down a qualifying offer worth $14.1 million from his previous team, the Cleveland Indians. Because he turned it down, the Orioles have to give up their first-round pick which is 17th overall. Jimenez is still pending a physical though.
Jimenez posted a 13-9 record with a 3.30 earned run average in 2013, according to MLB.
He spent the last two and a half years with the Indians, and he began his career with the Colorado Rockies, where he enjoyed the best season of his career in 2010. Jimenez went 19-8 with a 2.88 ERA and finished third in the National League Cy Young voting.
Jimenez struggled after his breakout season though, netting a 4.68 ERA in 2011 and leading the league in losses with 17 in 2012.
Jimenez will look to build off his solid September, where he went 4-0 with a 1.09 ERA in six starts, leading the Indians to an American League Wild Card playoff game.
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