The Dodgers have re-signed starting pitcher Ted Lilly to a three-year contract, the club announced today. Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated is reporting the deal is worth $33 million. UPDATE: Ken Gurnick of MLB.com confirmed the amount.
Lilly was 7-4 with a 3.52 ERA in 12 starts as a Dodger, and was 10-12 with a 3.62 ERA on the season as a whole. The Dodgers acquired Lilly, Ryan Theriot, and $2.5 million from the Cubs on July 31 for Blake DeWitt, Brett Wallach, and Kyle Smit. "Ted helped stabilize our rotation both in terms of his pitching ability and his leadership," said general manager Ned Colletti. "He gave us everything we were looking for in a veteran pitcher down the stretch last season."
Lilly, who turns 35 on January 4, just completed a four-year, $40 million contract that paid him $12 million in each of the last two years.
I have to say, I didn't think the contract would be this high. After all, I figured Lilly would end up in the two-year, $18 million or so range back in August and September. That said, the Dodgers did only have Clayton Kershaw and Chad Billingsley in their starting rotation, and Lilly's deal isn't that expensive. It's always hard to evaluate these things midstream, so we should have a better idea on whether or not this was a good deal after the rest of the team is assembled.
Next target: Hiroki Kuroda!