According to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the
Doug Melvin
Milwaukee Brewers will sign right handed pitcher Matt Garza to a four-year contract.
Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal says the deal is believed to be worth $52-million.
Brewers general manager Doug Melvin never led anyone to believe the Brewers would be in the market for a top free-agent pitcher, so the move comes as a big surprise.
Garza went 10-6 last season with a 3.82 ERA in 24 games last season with the Chicago Cubs and Texas Rangers.
The Cubs traded Garza to Texas on July 22 for four players, including some of the Rangers’ top prospects.
Because the Rangers didn’t make Garza a qualifying offer of $14.1 million, there’s no draft pick compensation assigned to the Brewers deal.
Garza has been on the disabled list four times since 2009, including last season when he missed the first seven weeks with a strained lat muscle behind his pitching shoulder.
Garza’s signing also means right-hander Tyler Thornburg, may not get a shot at the starting rotation. Kyle Lohse, Yovani Gallardo, Wily Peralta and Marco Estrada are expected to join Garza in the 5-man rotation.