The Atlanta Braves signed free-agent right-handed pitcher Ervin Santana to a one-year contract on Wednesday. The deal is worth $14.1 million.
Santana had received offers from the Baltimore Orioles, Toronto Blue Jays, and the Minnesota Twins. He will be pitching in the National League for the first time, after being in the American League for his entire career. The first eight seasons of his career he played for the Los Angeles Angels. The Angels traded him to the Kansas City Royals last year.
"It was a lot of waiting, but thank God I already have a team to play. Can't wait to play," Santana said. "It was hard. I had a lot of patience, but my family and God are always right next to me, and that helped me."
Santana added, "I've played my whole career in the American League, but I wanted to explore something different, to see how it goes. Batting doesn't scares me; I was a batter as a kid."
Last year Santana went 9-10 with a 3.24 ERA in 32 starts with the Royals, according to ESPN. The Royals had an 86-76 record last year, which is their best record since 1989. He had a no-hitter in 2011, and has had double-digit wins five times, with a 17-10 record in 2010 being his career best. In nine seasons Santana is 105-90 with a 4.19 ERA.
Santana joins a Braves pitching staff that is plagued by injuries, and the season hasn’t even started yet. Kris Medlen, who was named the Braves opening-day starter, has ligament damage in his right elbow. Brandon Beachy has problems with his right elbow and Mike Minor hasn’t pitched yet due to a sore shoulder, according to the Associated Press.
Opening day is just weeks away and the Braves hope that all of their pitchers are healthy by then. It will be interesting to see how Santana does in the National League after pitching in the American League.