AP source: Rangers, Harrison agree to $55M deal

[January 17, 2013]  FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) -- All-Star pitcher Matt Harrison and the Texas Rangers agreed Wednesday night to a $55 million, five-year contract, according to a person familiar with the deal.

The contract includes an option for a sixth season, the person said, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team hadn't announced the agreement.

Several media outlets had reported the deal earlier, all citing anonymous sources.

Harrison was 18-11 with a 3.29 ERA in 32 starts last year for Texas and is 32-20 while tossing 399 innings over the past two seasons. He was the Rangers' starting pitcher for Game 7 of the 2011 World Series, which they lost to St. Louis.

The deal, which runs through 2017, came a day after the 27-year-old lefty filed for salary arbitration. Harrison could have become a free agent following the 2014 season. If he reaches a certain number of innings, the 2018 season could become guaranteed.

Texas acquired Harrison from Atlanta in July 2007 in a multiplayer deal that included shortstop Elvis Andrus coming to the Rangers and Mark Teixeira going to the Braves.

Harrison has a 48-30 record in 126 career games, all with the Rangers over the past five years.

With Harrison under contract, the Rangers have three of their starting pitchers signed for at least four more seasons.

Japanese ace Yu Darvish last year signed a $56 million, six-year deal with the Rangers and then won 16 games as a major league rookie. There are provisions in his contract that could allow him to become a free agent after the 2016 season.

Texas has left-hander Derek Holland under contract through at least 2016, with club options for two more years after that.

[Associated Press; By STEPHEN HAWKINS]

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