Anibal Sanchez agrees to five year $80 million contract – MLB Detroit Tigers News
According to a leading sports website, the Detroit Tigers are going to re-sign free agent starting pitcher Anibal Sanchez for the next season. Tigers have not made the official announcement as yet but several Major League Baseball sources have confirmed the free agent agreed to a five year $80 million contract on Friday to return to Detroit.
Tigers’ General Manager Dave Dombrowski followed protocol as the deal was finalised early on Friday morning. The GM has strange policy of not acknowledging the contract or even negotiations until a physical has been secured. Despite the front office and player’s agent confirming the deal has been reaching, Dombrowski refused to comment.
In the evening, the GM directed to all media calls to relations department, which said the GM will take to the media members once there was any significant team news. However, the players have already started to talk about the deal. “Welcome back to Detroit” said newly acquired outfielder Torii Hunter in his tweet. Outfielder Alex Avila also took some time out to acknowledge the move.
According to sources, Tigers’ owner Mike Ilitch had asked the team to extend Sanchez’s years at Comerica Park when news surfaced that other MLB clubs could outbid the Tigers.
“Sanchez, along with second baseman Omar Infante, was shipped to the Tigers in Dombrowski's bid to fill two troubled positions on the 25-man roster. The trade price of prospect pitchers Jacob Turner and Brian Flynn, in addition to young catcher Rob Brantly, was steep but looked as if it had paid off as the Tigers stormed to the American League Central title and waged an October war that defeated the A's and Yankees and put them into the World Series against the soon-to-be-champion Giants,” said Tony Paul of detroitnews.com. “But there was a downside to Sanchez's presence.”
Sanchez had a decent time on the mound for Tigers last season. He displayed some top quality throwing skills in the post season to make a name for himself. Moved to Detroit as a part of mid season trade, he was supposed to become a free agent at the end of the past season.
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