The Pirates have agreed to sign right-hander Jeff Karstens to a one-year deal, Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. The deal with the Moye Sports Associates client is believed to be worth about $2.5MM, Brink adds. The agreement is pending a physical.
The Pirates non-tendered Karstens earlier in the offseason instead of going to arbitration with a projected $3.8MM salary. The 30-year-old drew interest from the Rockies while on the free agent market.
Karstens earned $3.1MM in 2012, but missed time with shoulder, groin and hip injuries. When healthy, he posted a 3.97 ERA with 6.6 K/9 and 1.5 BB/9 in 90 2/3 innings, mostly as a starter. GM Neal Huntington expressed confidence in Karstens soon after the regular season ended. “Jeff gives you everything he has every time he gets the ball,” the GM told Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.