Report: Astros agree to terms with Pat Neshek on 2-year, $12.5M deal
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The Houston Astros continue to corner the relief market at the winter meetings after striking out on David Robertson and Andrew Miller earlier this week.
Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reports the club has agreed to terms with right-hander Pat Neshek after reportedly locking up Luke Gregerson on a three-year deal. Neshek's deal is worth a reported $12.5 million over two years with a club option, according to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com.
Neshek said if it weren't for a late push from Houston, he was moments from signing with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
From MLB.com:
At first, I think they had an offer pretty low and we thought that was done, and they called back later and had a really strong offer. I was probably seconds away from signing with Pittsburgh. I told my agent (Barry Meister), 'Let's sign with Pittsburgh, let's get it done.' We were on the phone and Houston called. We told them we were going to sign, and they raised the offer.
ESPN's Jerry Crasnick offers additional details of the contract:
Pat Neshek contract w/ #astros: $5.5M in 2015, $6.5M in 2015. $500K buyout. There's a 3rd yr. club option for $6.5M to $9M.
— Jerry Crasnick (@jcrasnick) December 10, 2014
The value of Neshek's club option year can increase depending on the number of games he finishes in first 2 years. #astros
— Jerry Crasnick (@jcrasnick) December 10, 2014
Neshek, 34, pitched to a 1.87 ERA with 68 strikeouts in 67.1 innings for the St. Louis Cardinals last season after spending the previous two seasons in Oakland. The sinkerballer's 0.97 WHIP since 2012 ranks 11th among major league relievers.
Houston has been aggressive in its pursuit of reinforcements for its bullpen this week after the group posted the worst ERA in baseball last season.