The Colorado Rockies and free-agent starting pitcher Kyle Kendrick have agreed to a one-year, $5.5 million deal, according to Yahoo! Sports' Jeff Passan.
Kendrick would likely be slotted into the back of the Rockies' rotation, keeping some of the club's younger, higher-ceiling arms from being thrown into the fire at the highest level. His job, as evidenced by a potential $500,000 bonus if he reaches 190 frames, is simply to eat innings. That should be the extent of the expectations for Kendrick, who owns a career 4.65 FIP and 4.9 strikeouts per nine innings in eight seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies.
We wrote on Monday about potential fifth starter options for the Rockies, but it appears the Opening Day rotation is now set with Kendrick along with Jorge De La Rosa, Jhoulys Chacin, Tyler Matzek and Jordan Lyles. That leaves starters such as David Hale, Chad Bettis, Christian Bergman and others hanging out to dry, but it's also true that this bunch of a dozen or so starters at the top of the organization looks considerably better than the 15 hurlers who made starts last season.
A 40-man roster move will have to accompany Kendrick's addition to the team at the time the club officially announces the deal. As noted by resident transaction expert Sage Farron, the Rockies might elect to move Tyler Chatwood to the 60-day disabled list rather than cutting another player on the roster.
News of a pending agreement between the Rockies and Kendrick was first reported by CBS Sports' Jon Heyman.