Chris Archer, Twins Reportedly Agree to 1-Year Contract in MLB Free Agency

The Minnesota Twins reportedly added some depth to their starting rotation.

According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, the team reached an agreement with right-hander Chris Archer on a one-year, $3.5 million contract. The deal can reach as high as $9.5 million with performance bonuses "based on games started or outings with nine or more outs."

Passan added that Archer's contract has a base salary of $2.75 million and a $10 million mutual option with a $750,000 buyout.

The 33-year-old veteran had his 2021 season shortened by arm and hip injuries. He pitched in only six games for the Tampa Bay Rays, going 1-1 with a 4.66 ERA.

Archer has spent nine seasons in the majors since being called up by the Rays in 2012. He was originally drafted in the fifth round by Cleveland in 2006 before being traded to the Chicago Cubs in 2008 and then to Tampa Bay in 2011.

Archer earned selections to the All-Star Game in 2015 and 2017 and won 10 or more games three times during his first run in Tampa Bay before being traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2018.

It was a forgettable three-year run in Pittsburgh for Archer, as he won a combined six games and posted a career-high 5.19 ERA in 2019. He sat out the entire 2020 season after undergoing surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome. The Pirates declined his club option ahead of last season, and he re-signed with the Rays in free agency.

Entering the 2022 season, Archer has amassed a career record of 61-81 with a 3.87 ERA. He is the latest addition to a new-look Twins rotation that includes offseason acquisitions Sonny Gray and Dylan Bundy.