Fresh off their first playoff berth since 2005, the Houston Astros are looking to keep their momentum going.
On Thursday, the team fortified their starting rotation by signing free agent righthander Doug Fister to a one-year deal worth $7 million, per Chris Cotillo of SB Nation. The agreement also comes with up to $12 million in incentives.
Source: Fister gets 1-year, $7M deal from Astros. Deal can max out at $12M if performance bonuses are reached.
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) January 28, 2016
Fister, 31, is coming off a down year with the Nationals in 2015 where he went 5-7 with a 4.19 ERA and 63 strikeouts in 15 starts (which could help explain how the Astros got him for such a steal). But with great command and deceptive movement on his off-speed pitches, he was one of the better under-the-radar starters the last few seasons before that, placing eighth in NL Cy Young voting in 2014.
Elbow issues have been a concern for Fister in recent years. But such a low-risk signing to complement an already-daunting rotation headlined by reigning AL Cy Young winner Dallas Keuchel, Collin McHugh, and Lance McCullers is a great move by Houston. They are setting themselves up to be a handful out in the AL West once again next season.
Image Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
H/T Rotoworld
