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Blue Jays sign Happ to 3-year, $36-million deal

Steve Mitchell / USA TODAY Sports

The Toronto Blue Jays added a familiar face to their rotation mix on Friday, signing veteran left-hander J.A. Happ to a three-year, $36-million deal roughly one year after trading him to Seattle.

Happ, whose contract represents the third-largest in Blue Jays' history for a free-agent starter, will earn $10 million in 2016 and $13 million in each of the next two seasons, according to Sportsnet's Shi Davidi.

Though Happ, once considered among the National League's more promising left-handers, was hardly dominant during his time in Toronto, the 33-year-old enjoyed a impressive 2015 season split between the Mariners and Pittsburgh Pirates.

A former third-round pick, Happ crafted a 3.61 ERA (106 ERA+) across a career-high 172 innings while navigating a brilliant second half after being acquired by the Pirates ahead of the non-waiver trade deadline. In 11 starts for the Pirates, Happ managed a 1.85 ERA with a 1.03 WHIP, posting a 27.7 percent strikeout rate while allowing just three home runs in 63 1/3 innings (0.4 per nine).

Happ, who made his MLB debut with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2007, spent parts of three seasons in Toronto after being acquired as part of a 10-player swap with the Houston Astros in July 2012. Injuries and inconsistency marred his time in Toronto, though, as he managed a 4.39 ERA while logging just 291 innings. Over parts of nine seasons in the majors, Happ owns a 4.13 ERA (96 ERA+) with a 2.15 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Still, while Happ failed to post even a league-average ERA in the four seasons prior to 2015, his peripheral stats have steadily improved over the last three years, along with a noted increase in ground-ball rate.

Year K% BB% GB%
2013 18.6 10.8% 36.5%
2014 19.8 7.6% 40.6%
2015 21.1 6.3% 41.6%

With the expected departures of David Price and Mark Buehrle, the Blue Jays' rotation and starting depth were areas that needed to be addressed this winter. Earlier this month, interim general manager Tony LaCava even raised the possibility of Roberto Osuna and Aaron Sanchez vying for starting jobs in 2016, though Happ's new deal, along with last week's trade for Jesse Chavez, could compel the club to keep both youngsters in the bullpen.

Projected 2016 rotation

Pitcher ERA FIP WAR
Marcus Stroman 1.67 3.54 0.5
R.A. Dickey 3.91 4.48 2.0
Marco Estrada 3.13 4.40 1.8
J.A. Happ 3.61 3.41 1.9
Jesse Chavez 4.18 3.85 2.3

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