Cubs, Hammel agree to terms on 2-year contract

The Chicago Cubs and pitcher Jason Hammel made things official Friday, agreeing to a two-year contract with a club option for 2017. 

While terms of the deal were not disclosed, Jon Morosi of CBS Sports reported Monday that the contract is worth $18 million over two years that includes a $2 million buyout. 

The deal reunites the right-hander with the Cubs after spending a portion of 2014 together. Hammel signed a one-year, $6-million contract with the Cubs last season and posted an 8-5 record and 2.98 ERA in 17 starts before being traded to the Oakland Athletics. 

"I think this is something that we both hoped would happen from the day he was traded," Cubs president Theo Epstein told reporters Friday. "Jason really blossomed here and became one of the more dominant pitchers in the National League as a Cub and also provided tremendous clubhouse presence and leadership for us. 

"We think we're a lot better today having Jason back in the fold."

Despite being traded last July, Hammel acknowledged that he understood the process and always hoped to return to Chicago's North Side. 

"I knew this was the place for me," Hammel said. "I wanted to come back and I was going to get a real good opportunity and thankfully Theo called me up the first day of free agency."

Hammel was one of two free-agent pitching splashes at the winter meetings by the Cubs, who also inked left-hander Jon Lester to a reported six-year, $155 million deal.