Twins extend Phil Hughes to three-year deal

The Minnesota Twins have agreed to extend right-hander Phil Hughes, they officially announced today. Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News first reported the deal early this morning. 

Hughes will make a guaranteed $42 million over his three-year extension, which covers 2017-2019, which previously would be free agent seasons for him. He was scheduled to make $8 million over the next two years, but now will make a $1.2 million raise, making $9.2 million in 2015 and 2016. Then, Hughes will make $13.2 million through the rest of his contract in 2017, 2018, and 2019. 

Essentially, this contract works out to be a five-year, $58 million. Hughes will also have a limited no-trade clause that allows him to block trades to three teams each season. Hughes' new deal includes a $200,000 bonus every year for reaching 200 innings pitched. 

The Twins have been busy this offseason, as they already added to their rotation by signing Ervin Santana not too long ago. As it stand right now (according to the depth chart on the team's official site), Minnesota's rotation includes Hughes, Santana, Kyle Gibson, Ricky Nolasco, Mike Pelfrey, Tommy Milone, and Trevor May. Their staff posted the worst ERA in the bigs in 2014.

Hughes, 27, was drafted by the New York Yankees with the 23rd overall pick (1st round) in the 2004 MLB Draft. He was signed by the Twins to a three-year deal last season, making them his second team in eight seasons. He has a career 4.32 ERA in 264 games (164 starts).

Hughes lived up to his first round potential for the first time last season. He pitched in 32 starts, tossing 209.2 innings, and went 16-10 with a 3.52 ERA and a 2.65 FIP. He posted a 186 to 16 strikeout-to-walk ratio, which set the record for most strikeouts per walks in a single-season ever (one inning pitched per team game played minimum). He was worth 6.1 fWAR. 

--Devan Fink

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