The Arizona Diamondbacks and free-agent starting pitcher Zach Davies are in agreement on a one-year, $5 million contract, a source confirmed to ESPN on Wednesday.
Davies has never been a big strikeout pitcher but has built his career off inducing soft contact and generating groundballs. The 29-year-old right-hander spent the 2022 season in Arizona and will return there to help round out a rotation headlined by Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly and Madison Bumgarner. Ryne Nelson, Drey Jameson and Brandon Pfaadt are on the verge of joining the staff but are still relatively inexperienced, prompting the need for another veteran like Davies.
Davies posted a 4.16 ERA and compiled 797 2/3 innings while pitching for the Milwaukee Brewers, San Diego Padres and Chicago Cubs from 2016 to 2021, during which he struck out only 17% of the batters he faced but maintained a groundball rate of 46%.
Davies signed a one-year, $1.75 million contract with the D-backs shortly after the lockout was lifted in March and finished the 2022 season with a 4.09 ERA in 27 starts, ranking within the 75th percentile in average exit velocity. Davies then declined his portion of a mutual option in November but ultimately returned on a deal that could be worth upwards of $8.25 million if he reaches all of his incentives.
The New York Post first reported the new agreement.