McCullers agrees to $85 million, five-year deal with Astros
Pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. and the Houston Astros have agreed to an $85 million, fiveyear contract covering 202226, a deal awaiting announcement by the team.
McCullers agreed on Jan. 15 to a $6.5 million, one-year contract that avoided salary arbitration. He would have been eligible for free agency after this year’s World Series.
His new agreement calls for a $3.5 million signing bonus, payable within 30 days of the contract’s approval by the commissioner’s office, and salaries of $15.25 million in both 2022 and 2023, and $17 million annually from 2024-26.
The 27-year-old McCullers returned in 2020 after missing a season following Tommy John surgery. He was 3-3 with a 3.93 ERA and 56 strikeouts in 11 starts last season.
He is expected to be one of the leaders of Houston’s rotation in 2021 with ace Justin Verlander out all year after having Tommy John surgery.
■ RANGERS: Newly acquired Texas slugger Khris Davis will miss the start of the season for the Rangers because of a quadriceps strain suffered on a bunt single.
General manager Chris Young said Wednesday that an MRI showed that Davis has a Grade 2 quad strain and will be out 3-4 weeks.
The news came a day after Davis, who likely would have opened the season as the starting designated hitter, got hurt in a Cactus League game. He laid down a nice bunt against the Los Angeles Angels, and beat it out even though he pulled up before getting to first base.
The 33-year-old Davis led the majors with 48 home runs in 2018, but has since struggled to consistently find his stroke. He has hit .243 with 218 homers and 580 RBIs in 938 big league games for Oakland (2016-20) and Milwaukee (2013-15).
■ PADRES: Fernando Tatis Jr. is feeling a lot better, a huge relief to the star San Diego shortstop, his team and his many fans.
A day after Tatis walked off the field during an exhibition game in a worrisome scene, the Padres said the discomfort in his left shoulder had improved.
In fact, the flashy 22-yearold wanted to play Wednesday night against San Francisco in Scottsdale, Ariz.
No way, manager Jayce Tingler said.
“He’s feeling really good today. In fact he was lobbying to get in the lineup today, so I thought that was very encouraging,” Tingler said.
“He’s going to have a good work day today and we’ll kind of see where it goes. I think everybody’s kind of expecting him to be back in the lineup in the next day or two. Very encouraging news,” he said.