Braves sign veteran pitcher R.A. Dickey to 1-year deal
The Atlanta Braves continue to stock up on starting pitching options by signing 2012 National League Cy Young Award winner R.A. Dickey to a one-year contract with a 2018 club option, pending a physical and approval from Major League Baseball.
The contract is reportedly worth $7.5 million in 2017 plus an $8 million option with a $500,000 buyout the following year, according to MLB insider Jon Heyman.
Dickey, a 42-year-old knuckleballer who has pitched the past four seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays, finished the 2016 season with a 10-15 record and a 4.46 ERA.
Though Dickey's numbers have declined since his dominant 2012 season with the New York Mets, he could still function as a workhorse for a young rotation. Only seven MLB pitchers have thrown more innings than Dickey (1,266 2/3) since 2011: David Price, James Shields, Clayton Kershaw, Madison Bumgarner, Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer and Cole Hamels.
He posted a 3.68 ERA and 4.20 fielding-independent pitching over that six-year span.
Dickey was the second-oldest pitcher in baseball last season, trailing only the Mets' Bartolo Colon.
The signing comes on the heels of the organization avoiding arbitration and signing Josh Collmenter, who started three games for Atlanta in 2016, to a one-year contract.
Braves president of baseball operations John Hart and general manager John Coppolella have openly expressed their desire to stock up on starting pitching this offseason after a disappointing season for the rotation, filling out the staff behind entrenched starters Julio Teheran and Mike Foltynewicz.
