Red Sox, Dempster Agree To Two-Year Deal
BOSTON (CBS) - The Boston Red Sox and starting pitcher Ryan Dempster have agreed on a two-year deal, WBZ-TV's Dan Roche has confirmed.
Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal was first to report Boston's two-year, $26.5 million deal with Dempster on Thursday. The pitcher still needs to undergo his physical with the team before the deal becomes official.
The 35-year-old Dempster is 124-124 with a 4.33 ERA over his 14-year career. He spent nine seasons with the Cubs before being dealt to the Texas Rangers at last year's trade deadline -- his first taste of the American League. He went 12-8 with a 3.38 ERA between the two clubs in 2012.
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Dempster went 7-3 with a 5.03 ERA in 12 starts for the Rangers down the stretch, and although he won five straight at one point, he allowed five runs over three innings in Texas' final game of the year. Had the Rangers won that game, they would have clinched the AL West and avoided the wild card play-in game -- a game they lost to the Baltimore Orioles.
While he made two different trips to the disabled list in 2012, Dempster had been a durable starter since 2008, logging four straight 200-inning seasons before hurling 173 innings in 2012.
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It was originally thought Dempster would command a three-year deal this offseason, but it appears he has softened on that demand.
