DETROIT – Anibal Sanchez is staying with the Detroit Tigers.
After the free-agent pitcher appeared to be on the verge of taking a lucrative five-year, $77.5 million offer from the Chicago Cubs, the Tigers upped the ante and Sanchez agreed to a five-year, $80 million contract Friday, his agent, Gene Mato, told USA Today. Sanchez would be making more money than Justin Verlander. Verlander signed a five-year $79.5 million dollar deal three years ago.
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Sanchez, 28, came to the Tigers during the 2012 season from the Miami Marlins, with whom he had pitched since 2006. He finished with a combined 9-13 record and a 3.86 ERA in 31 starts in 2012.
Among the teams pursuing Sanchez, in addition to the Cubs, were Boston, Seattle, Kansas City, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Los Angeles Angels.
Sanchez will remain in a formidable Tigers rotation that includes Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer and Doug Fister.