The Colorado Rockies have agreed to terms on a deal to bring right-handed free agent reliever Greg Holland to Denver, according to reports. Details are still forthcoming, but initial reports say the terms are a one year deal with a vesting option for a second year. BSN Denver first reported the Rockies’ offer in December and Jeff Passan confirmed the deal today (BSN Denver’s Rockies editor asked us to credit him with breaking the news that Holland signed with the Rockies but because of alleged Twitter issues it did not go up before Passan’s tweet. For the record, that makes Passan the news-breaker.)
UPDATE (1:25 p.m. MT, Jan. 25): According to Jeff Passan, the deal is for one year, $7 million. With incentives he could push that value as high as $14 million, but that is dependent on him earning the closer role.
UPDATE (1:45 p.m. MT, Jan. 25): Ken Rosenthal confirmed that the deal includes a vesting option for 2018.
Greg Holland came up with the Kansas City Royals and quickly established himself as one of the best relievers in the game with a 1.80 ERA and 74 strikeouts in 60 innings pitched in his first full season. He worked into the closer role in 2013 where he had a 1.21 ERA, a 0.866 WHIP with 103 strikeouts and 18 walks over 67 innings, good for a 342 ERA+; he was named an American League All-Star and finished ninth in Cy Young voting that year. He was part of the dominant Royals bullpen during their back-to-back World Series runs in 2014 and 2015 until he was forced to have Tommy John surgery in August 2015. He was non-tendered by the Royals after the season and has spent his time rehabbing since then.
During a showcase at the GM meetings in Arizona he was reported to be throwing 75% and hitting 88-91 mph on his fastball. During his halcyon days with the Royals his fastball would sit 95-98 mph with a 86 mph slider. Considering the deal is for one year, it seems to be an appropriate risk for the Rockies to take in an effort to continue rebuilding their bullpen.
The deal is still pending a physical, so the Rockies won’t need to make a corresponding 40-man roster move till the deal becomes official.
Purple Row will have updates as terms of the deal become public.