The Diamondbacks have agreed to sign J.J. Putz to a one-year extension that will keep him in Arizona through 2014, the team announced via Twitter. The LSW Baseball client will reportedly receive a $7MM salary in 2014.
Putz, who turns 36 next month, pitched to a 2.82 ERA, 10.8 K/9, 1.8 BB/9 and 45.7 percent ground-ball rate with 32 saves for the Snakes last season. In 518 2/3 Major League innings between the Mariners, Mets, White Sox and Diamondbacks, Putz has a 3.04 ERA, 9.5 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 with 183 saves.
Putz signed a two-year deal worth $10MM to take over as Arizona's closer following the 2010 season. Diamondbacks general manager Kevin Towers exercised a $6.5MM club option on Putz back in October. He will be joined by flamethrower David Hernandez and one-time shutdown closer Heath Bell — acquired from the Marlins in a three-team trade — at the back-end of Arizona's bullpen in 2013.
Towers sang Putz's praises in a press release:
“J.J. has provided much-needed leadership and stability for our bullpen the last two years. He has been an integral piece and helped set the foundation for our bullpen’s turnaround so we are excited to have him in place the next two seasons.”
The move is just one of many in what's been a busy season for Towers and his staff. As MLBTR's Transaction Tracker shows, the team has traded away Chris Young and Trevor Bauer, acquiring Bell, Cliff Pennington, Didi Gregorius, Tony Sipp and Lars Anderson. On the free agent front, they've signed Brandon McCarthy, Cody Ross, Eric Chavez, Eric Hinske and Wil Nieves to Major League contracts.
Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic was the first to report the financial terms of Putz's extension (Twitter link). Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
