The Rangers announced they'd struck a deal with Darvish, and a club official with knowledge of the contract confirmed its terms. The official was not authorized to comment on the contract because it has not yet been finalized.
The Rangers' financial commitment to Darvish -- including a $51.7 million posting fee paid to Darvish's Japanese club -- trumps the $103 million the Boston Red Sox laid out to acquire Daisuke Matsuzaka in 2006.
But the newest Texas Rangers pitcher, a 25-year-old just entering his prime, must be much better than his Japanese countryman if he's to make his new deal worthwhile.
Darvish and the Rangers beat today's 5 p.m. ET deadline for getting the deal done that makes him C.J. Wilson's replacement as the ace of the Texas staff. His arrival also negates some of the inroads the AL West rival Los Angeles Angels have made on the Rangers this offseason by signing Wilson and first baseman Albert Pujols.
Matsuzaka signed a six-year deal -- for $52 million -- with the Red Sox before the 2007 season, after the Red Sox paid $51.1 million for the right to negotiate with him. Boston won the 2007 World Series as Matsuzaka went 15-12 with a 4.40 earned run average -- followed by an 18-3, 2.90 ERA season. But the right-hander is just 16-15, 5.03 since and will miss much of the upcoming final season of his contract recovering from elbow surgery.
Darvish -- at 6-5, 220 pounds -- is a bigger, stronger pitcher than Matsuzaka. Hence, the willingness for the Rangers to add a big contract to the $51.7 million posting fee they will pay the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters now that a contract has been reached.
Darvish is coming off the best of his seven seasons as a professional in Japan -- 18-6, 1.44 -- with the victories and ERA career highs, as were his 232 innings. He struck out 276 and walked 36. He's expected to be introduced at a news conference in Arlington, Texas, on Friday.
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