Barry Zito is staying in the Bay Area with the San Francisco Giants. Sources told ESPN’s Peter Gammons that the former Oakland A’s pitcher has agreed to a seven-year, $126 million contract with the Giants. The deal includes an $18 million option for 2014 and a complete no-trade clause, a source told ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick. Zito’s deal ties for the sixth largest overall.
If Zito pitches 600 innings over the last three years of the agreement, 400 innings over the last two or 200 in the final year of the deal, he can either exercise a player option or opt out of the contract.
Texas, Seattle and the New York Mets also pursued Zito, the top available pitcher on the free-agent market. New York’s initial offer was for about $75 million over five years, and the Mets were prepared to go somewhat higher in average salary but were wary of offering a longer deal. Texas had told Zito’s agent, Scott Boras, that it would withdraw its proposal — valued at six years, $87 million, a source told Crasnick — if it wasn’t accepted by the end of the week.
Zito is 102-63 in 222 career starts, including a 16-10 mark with a 3.83 ERA in 34 starts last season before becoming a free agent. The 6-foot-4, 205-pound 28-year-old was drafted in the first round, ninth overall, by the A’s in 1999 and made his debut the following season. By 2002 he was a star, making his first All-Star team and winning the American League Cy Young award. His 23-5 record led the league and he also boasted a 2.75 ERA. Zito was also an All-Star in 2003 and last season.