Former Dodgers right-hander Ricky Nolasco has found a new home, as the free agent starting pitcher has agreed to terms with the Minnesota Twins, as first reported by Chris Cotillo of MLB Daily Dish. The contract is a four-year deal worth $49 million, per Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports, and includes a club option for 2018 that could vest into a player option.
Nolasco is the third of 12 Dodgers free agents to sign elsewhere so far this offseason, as infielder Nick Punto landed in Oakland and utility man Skip Schumaker signed with Cincinnati.
Nolasco, who turns 31 on Dec. 13, was acquired by the Dodgers from the Marlins on July 6 for minor league relief pitchers Steve Ames, Josh Wall and Angel Sanchez, and an international bonus slot from Miami valued at $197,000.
Because he was acquired midseason, Nolasco was not eligible to receive a qualifying offer of one-year, $14.1 million from the Dodgers. Only players with their teams for the entire season are eligible for the qualifying offer, which nets a compensatory draft pick between the first and second round.
Nolasco was 8-3 with a 3.52 ERA in 16 games with the Dodgers, including 15 starts. He was 8-1 with a 2.07 ERA in his first 12 starts with Los Angeles, including never allowing more than three runs during that span. He helped fuel a 23-6 August for the Dodgers by going 5-0 with a 1.64 ERA in six starts during the month, including back-to-back outings with eight shutout innings.
But over his final three starts and one relief appearance of the season, Nolasco allowed 19 runs and 25 hits in 13 innings. He took the loss in his only playoff start, allowing three runs in four innings against the Cardinals in Game 4 of the NLCS.