Astros sign Fister to 1-year deal
The Houston Astros finally landed their coveted middle-of-the-rotation arm, agreeing to a one-year deal, worth a reported $7 million with right-hander Doug Fister on Thursday.
His deal also includes $5 million in performance bonuses through 100-200 innings pitched.
Fister had reportedly been contemplating offers from a number of teams, and was said to be seeking a two-year deal worth close to $22 million.
Fister pic.twitter.com/XMyty8uFVd
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) January 28, 2016
The soon-to-be 32-year-old is coming off a career-worst season in which he went 5-7 with a 4.19 ERA and 1.40 WHIP with the Washington Nationals while being limited to 103 innings due to elbow issues.
PROJECTED 2016 ASTROS ROTATION
| Pitcher | ERA | IP | WHIP | WAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas Keuchel | 2.48 | 232 | 1.02 | 7.2 |
| Collin McHugh | 3.89 | 203.2 | 1.28 | 3.1 |
| Lance McCullers | 3.22 | 125.2 | 1.19 | 2.4 |
| Doug Fister | 4.19 | 103 | 1.40 | 0.2 |
| Mike Fiers | 3.69 | 180.1 | 1.25 | 2.1 |
Fister represents a solid bounce-back candidate, as he's just a year removed from going 16-6 with a 2.41 ERA in 164 innings in 2014, finishing eighth in National League Cy Young voting. He also adds postseason experience to a young rotation, owning a 4-2 record with a 2.60 ERA in nine playoff appearances (eight starts).
Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow had been targeting a back-end arm this winter to replace the Scott Kazmir, who was lost to free agency, and Vincent Velasquez, who was dealt to the Philadelphia Phillies for closer Ken Giles.