CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs have agreed to a four-year, $52 million contract with right-hander Edwin Jackson, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Thursday.
The Cubs will be the eighth team in 11 years for Jackson, 29, who also pitched for the White Sox. He is 70-71 lifetime with a 4.40 ERA. He was 10-11 with a 4.03 ERA for the Washington Nationals last season.
The Cubs also were trying to reach a deal with pitcher Carlos Villanueva, who was with the Toronto Blue Jays. That would give them seven experienced starters, including newcomers Scott Baker (Minnesota) and Scott Feldman (Texas) and holdovers Matt Garza, Jeff Samardzija and Travis Wood.
Polanco signs with Marlins
MIAMI — Former All-Star third baseman Placido Polanco agreed to a one-year, $2.75 million contract with the Miami Marlins, plugging the final hole in the team’s projected lineup following a payroll purge.
The 37-year-old, who can earn an additional $250,000 in performance bonuses, battled injuries this year and hit .257 with two home runs and 19 RBIs in 90 games with the Philadelphia Phillies. The 15-year veteran is a career .299 hitter with 103 homers.
Other projected starters include Logan Morrison at first base, Donovan Solano at second, Adeiny Hechavarria at shortstop, Jeff Brantly at catcher, Giancarlo Stanton in right field, Justin Ruggiano in center field and Juan Pierre in left field.
Hanley Ramirez played 90 games at third this year for Miami before being traded in July. That was part of the salary purge by the Marlins, who pared $146.5 million in future payroll when they swung a trade last month that sent former NL batting champion Jose Reyes, former NL ERA leader Josh Johnson and left-hander Mark Buehrle to Toronto.
Adams gets $12M from Phillies
PHILADELPHIA — Mike Adams chose setting up for Jonathan Papelbon over a chance to make more money as a closer somewhere else.
Adams finalized a two-year, $12 million contract with Philadelphia on Thursday, giving the Phillies a premier eighth-inning reliever. The 34-year-old right-hander was 5-3 with a 3.27 ERA last season for the Texas Rangers.
“I felt this is a very good opportunity for myself,” Adams said. “I had an opportunity to go a couple places and close and the opportunity to make the extra incentives. There was an NL East team that was really in on it. It was a tough choice between the two, but from what I’ve heard from other players that have been in this organization, what they thought about it, where I think they’re headed over the next couple years, that played a huge part into my decision.”
Adams’ deal includes a club option for 2015 that would become guaranteed at $6 million if he has 65 games pitched in 2014. His 2015 salary would become guaranteed at $6.5 million if he has 120 games pitched in 2013 and 2014 combined, with at least 60 in 2014.
“I’m counting that as guaranteed money,” Adams said confidently. “I plan on fulfilling my contract for three years and hopefully beyond that. If all goes the way I see it, by the end of my contract this is going to be a bargain.”
Philadelphia has been interested in Adams for a few years, and he fills a need. The Phillies had trouble protecting leads before Papelbon took the ball in the ninth inning. Their 4.89 ERA in the eighth was next-to-last in MLB.
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