Brett Anderson to Cubs: Latest Contract Details, Comments, Reaction

Veteran starting pitcher Brett Anderson has reportedly reached an agreement with the Chicago Cubs, Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal reported Monday.

Earlier in the day, Anderson announced he was en route to the Windy City:

Rosenthal noted the deal won't be finalized until Anderson passes a physical, which is a question mark for someone who's had major injury issues over the last five years. The deal is for $3.5 million with incentives that can reach $10 million, per Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports.

Anderson showcased a lot of potential as a rookie in 2009, when he posted a 4.06 ERA with 150 strikeouts in 175.1 innings with the Oakland Athletics. He's struggled to build off that initial success, however, in large part because of a variety of injury setbacks.

The 28-year-old lefty has made more than 20 starts just once since his first year, and that came in 2015 with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Otherwise, his consistent trips to the disabled list have prevented him from becoming a key rotation cog.

That trend continued this past season, when he made just four appearances (three starts) for the Dodgers after spending most of the year recovering from back surgery. He finished with unsightly numbers—an 11.91 ERA and a 2.56 WHIP—after coming off the DL.

The silver lining came after his final start, a 7-4 L.A. victory over the Colorado Rockies, when the left-hander stated he felt progress, per Matthew Moreno of Dodger Blue.

"It's finally good to not be a full detriment to the team. I'll take the positives out of it more than the negatives," Anderson said. "My body feels good. I still feel like I'm a good pitcher when I'm able to go out there healthy."

Anderson can be an effective member of a starting staff when he's able to stay healthy for an entire season, but that's happened only twice in eight years since he reached the majors, which made him a prime example of a boom-or-bust option coming into the offseason.

In the end, he decided the Cubs represented his best opportunity to make a significant impact in 2017. While the health issues mean expectations must be kept within reason, it's a solid addition based on his upside.

Matt Spiegel of 670 The Score is a fan of the move:

Anderson is in the middle of what's typically a player's prime. There's still a chance that everything will fall into place for him, but it's going to take an extended run of good health. His track record suggests that's a long shot, but if his injury luck takes a positive turn, this could be one of the offseason's top value signings.