Phillies draw a new ace in Arrieta

CLEARWATER, FLA. » They may be young. They might still be in an extended rebuilding mode, whether they know it or now.

But the Phillies have spent much of their spring training camp fling praising the energy brought by new manager Gabe Kapler, and swearing they are a team that can compete now in the National League East.

What they hadn’t done was prove they had a pitching staff to back up their lofty expectations. Until now.

Reports circulated Sunday that the Phillies and veteran starter Jake Arrieta had reached an agreement on a three-year free agency deal that carries an average payout of $25 million. In one swell swoop, the Phillies have gotten their long-awaited ace.

The Associated Press cited two sources as saying the team had reached a three-year deal with Arrieta, pending a physical. The deal is reportedly worth a total package of $75 million. NBC Sports Philadelphia first reported the agreement.

The 32-year-old right-hander was among several top free agents who didn’t get a deal for six or seven years in a changing offseason market. The Phillies, who have plenty of money to spend, waited until the price was right for them.

Arrieta won the 2015 NL Cy Young Award with the Chicago Cubs and helped them win the World Series the next season. He was 14-10 with a 3.53 ERA last year.

He was 68-31 with a 2.73 ERA in five seasons in Chicago after starting his career in Baltimore. He’ll join Aaron Nola atop the Phillies’ rotation on a team that finished last in the NL East.

The Phillies haven’t had a winning season since 2011, but now have added veteran slugger Carlos Santana, Arrieta and quality relievers to a young nucleus that could show considerable improvement over last season’s 6696 mark.

All along, Kapler’s motto during spring training has been: “Be Bold.” Players and coaches have been wearing T-shirts with those words on them and they’ve been using the phrase often in interviews.

Signing Arrieta is a sign that management is ready to move past the rebuilding process and join the messaging.

The Phillies already have a lineup that has potential to be dynamic and a bullpen that could be formidable. Now they’ve added a proven No. 1 starter to a slew of young arms in the rotation with experience during the recent dark days. They include Nola, Jerad Eickhoff and Vince Velasquez among others.

The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Arrieta has started at least 30 games in three straight seasons with the Cubs, but he’s only pitched more than 200 innings once — 229 in 2015.

Arrieta had a 4.67 ERA in first 16 starts last season, but finished strong, going 7-4 with a 2.26 ERA in his final 14 outings. Originally a fifth-round draft pick in 2010 for Baltimore, he pitched for the Orioles from 2010-13 before joining the Cubs as the key player in a four-player trade with the Cubs on July 2, 2013.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE Cubs starting pitcher Jake Arrieta throws against his old team, the Baltimore Orioles, in the first inning of a game in 2014.