Breaking: Marlins, Wei-Yin Chen Agree to Five Year, $80 Million contract

The Marlins have according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reached an agreement with former Baltimore Orioles left-hander Wei-Yin Chen to a five year worth $80 million and a vesting option that could take the deal to a total of $96 million.  Jon Heyman also reports that there is an opt out after the second year.

The Taiwanese left-hander is at the moment a very prudent move for the Marlins who are in dire need of greater depth in their pitching rotation.

Chen who will be in his age-30 season this year has a career FIP 4.14 and has put up at least 2 WAR every year he has pitched in the Major Leagues.  Steamer projects Chen to put up a FIP of 3.89 and to strike out 7.31 batters per 9 innings in 2016 and walk 2.02 batters per nine innings.

Chen led all Orioles starting pitchers with 9.5 WAR a in his stint there from 2012-2015 with two more wins than Chris Tillman.  That may not be saying much but at the very least it adds an experienced pitchers on a relatively good contract to a rotation that badly needed it.

As always, although there may not be too much evidence of this, one expects a pitcher to get a boost to his fielding independt numbers when moving away from the offensively charged and hitter friendly environment of the AL East to the National League and Marlins Park despite the fences being moved in.

There will be time for more and closer analysis of this move but at eye value especially keeping that two year opt out in mind it seems like a very good deal for both sides.