PHOENIX — Ian Kennedy and the Arizona Diamondbacks finalized a one-year, $4.75 million contract on Wednesday that returns the veteran right-hander to one of his former clubs.
Kennedy gets a $4.5 million salary this year, and the deal includes a $4 million club option for 2023 with a $250,000 buyout.
The 37-year-old had a 3.82 ERA over four seasons with Arizona from 2010 to ’13 and finished fourth in National League Cy Young Award voting in 2011, when he was 21-4 with a 2.88 ERA.
Kennedy was 3-1 with a 3.20 ERA last year in 44 relief appearances for the Texas Rangers and Philadelphia Phillies. He likely will be in Arizona’s bullpen this time around. He has a 3.98 ERA with 56 saves in 134 games since moving to the bullpen in 2019.
Kennedy is the second veteran reliever the Diamondbacks have added during the offseason. The team signed right-hander Mark Melancon before the lockout, and he’s expected to be the team’s closer.
Kennedy was drafted by the New York Yankees in the first round in 2006, and he joined the big club in 2007 after a career at USC. He made three starts in his rookie season for New York, winning one of them.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.