Chris Archer finalizes 1-year, $6.5 million deal with Rays

Updated Feb. 9, 2021 6:11 p.m. ET

Associated Press

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Free agent right-hander Chris Archer has finalized a one-year, $6.5 million contract that reunites him with the Tampa Bay Rays.

The 32-year-old is back with the AL champions after missing all of the pandemic-shortened 2020 season after surgery to relieve symptoms of neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome last June, when he was with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Archer spent parts of seven seasons with the Rays, ranking fourth on the franchise’s all-time list for victories, before being traded to the Pirates in a deal that brought pitcher Tyler Glasnow and outfielder Austin Meadows to Tampa Bay in 2018.

With the Rays, Archer will have an opportunity to win a spot in a revamped pitching rotation that’s lost right-hander Charlie Morton and 2018 AL Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell since Tampa Bay lost the World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers in six games.

In addition to ranking fourth on the Rays career wins list, Archer is second in strikeouts (1,146) and starts (177) and third in innings pitched (1,063).

Over portions of eight major league seasons, the two-time AL All-Star is 60-80 with a 3.86 ERA in 212 appearances, including 210 starts.

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