Major League Baseball

Sources: Cubs pursuing RHP Sanchez

Published Dec. 13, 2012 12:00 a.m. ET

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Ken Rosenthal

The Chicago Cubs, seeking to make a bold move in the free-agent market, are in serious discussions with right-hander Anibal Sanchez, according to major-league sources.

The sides are discussing a five-year deal that stood at $77.5 million as of early Friday, but Sanchez’s previous team, the Detroit Tigers, remains a factor in the bidding, sources said.

Sanchez, 28, would give the Cubs a front-line starter who not only would help make the team more competitive next season, but also offer stability as the club continues to rebuild.

Cubs president Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer had Sanchez when he was a minor leaguer with the Boston Red Sox. The Sox traded Sanchez along with shortstop Hanley Ramirez to the Florida Marlins in November 2005, getting right-hander Josh Beckett, third baseman Mike Lowell and reliever Guillermo Mota in return.

Sanchez joined the Marlins in 2006 and remained with them until being sent to the Detroit Tigers last July. He went 4-6 with a 3.74 ERA for the Tigers, then pitched even better in the postseason, going 1-2 with a 1.77 ERA.

The Cubs previously had signed free-agent right-handers Scott Baker and Scott Feldman this offseason. Their rotation already had included Matt Garza, Jeff Samardzija and Travis Wood.

Sanchez has pitched 195 innings or more in each of the past three seasons, and is 48-51 with a 3.75 ERA in his career.

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