REPORT: Giants Find Their Closer, Agree To Sign Melancon
According to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, the San Francisco Giants have agreed to terms with free agent closer Mark Melancon, bolstering the end of a bullpen which blew a league-worst 30 saves a year ago.
Source: Melancon deal with #SFGiants expected to be four years, $60M-$65M.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 5, 2016
The move comes with little surprise, as General Manager Bobby Evans had said several times on record they will pursue, a) a big time free agent closer and b) Melancon. The Giants had the money to get it done and were rumored to have the strongest deal among suitors.
The contract's final reported numbers were four years, $62 million - breaking Jonathan Papelbon's record for largest contract for a relief pitcher (4 years, $60 million, signed in 2011 with Philadelphia). Despite the new record, it's expected to be short-lived as Aroldis Chapman and Kenley Jansen are due to sign much bigger contracts within the next week or so.
Melancon, 31, spent last season on the Pittsburgh Pirates before a midseason trade to the Washington Nationals. His combined 1.64 ERA in 2016 ranked seventh in the MLB of pitchers with more than 40 innings pitched. Over the last three years, his combined ERA in over 280 innings is below 1.80 to along with 147 saves.