Free agent pitcher Bronson Arroyo signed a minor league deal with the Washington Nationals Tuesday night.
The deal includes an invitation to spring training. If Arroyo makes the team, he would have a base salary of $2 million and he could earn an additional $6 million if he makes at least 32 starts, according to MLB.com.
Arroyo chose the Nationals over the Cincinnati Reds, who he played for eight seasons from 2006 to 2013 and wanted him back, since the Reds couldn’t match the offer from the Nationals. He will be reunited with former Reds manager Dusty Baker.
"The Reds gave me their best bullet, but it just wasn't in the same ballpark," Arroyo said. "I was hearing Dusty say, 'Bro, I want you here, we can do this.' I said, 'OK, done deal.'"
Arroyo became a free agent in November when the Los Angeles Dodgers declined a $13 million club option and paid a $.45 million buyout. He didn’t play at all last year due to having Tommy John surgery. In 2014, he played for the Arizona Diamondbacks and was 7-4 with a 4.08 ERA with the Diamondbacks, according to the Associated Press. Arroyo is 145-131 with a 4.19 ERA in his 15 years in the majors.
Arroyo joins Logan Schafer, Chris Heisey, Jhonatan Solano, Reed Johnson, and Sean Burnett on the list of players who have minor league contracts with the Nationals.