Left-hander J.A. Happ and the New York Yankees have finalized a US$34-million, two-year contract.
Happ gets US$17-million in each of the next two seasons, and his deal includes a US$17-million option for 2021 that could become guaranteed if he has either 27 or more starts as a pitcher in 2020 or 165 or more innings that year.
He is projected to be part of a rotation that includes Luis Severino, Masahiro Tanaka, CC Sabathia and James Paxton, acquired from Seattle in a trade.
A first-time All-Star, Happ was acquired from Toronto on July 26 as a summer rental and went 7-0 with a 2.69 ERA in 11 starts for New York, leaving him 17-6 with a 3.65 ERA for the season. He lost at Boston in the AL Division Series opener, allowing five runs in two innings.