The Chicago Cubs and right-handed pitcher Scott Baker have agreed to terms on a one-year contract.
Baker, 31, joins the Cubs after pitching all or part of seven seasons with the Minnesota Twins (2005-11), the club that originally drafted him in the second round of the 2003 Draft. The righthander is 63-48 with a 4.15 ERA (442 ER/958.0 IP) in 163 appearances, all but four as a starter, and reached 28 or more starts in three-straight campaigns (2008-10). Baker has struck out 770 batters while walking only 224 in 958.0 innings, an average of only 2.1 walks per nine innings.
The 6-foot-4, 215-pound Baker averaged 13 wins and 30 starts with a 4.11 ERA during three seasons between 2008-10, earning the Opening Day start for the Twins in 2010. He was limited to only 23 appearances (21 starts) in the 2011 campaign due to a right elbow injury that eventually required Tommy John ligament replacement surgery on April 17, forcing Baker to miss the 2012 campaign.
In his most recent season, Baker went 8-6 with a 3.14 ERA (47 ER/134.2 IP) in 23 appearances (21 starts) with the Twins in 2011. He was first placed on the disabled list with a right elbow strain on July 17 (retroactive to July 7) and, as late as July 28, his 2.86 ERA ranked eighth in the American League. Baker attempted a return but was limited to only four appearances (two starts) in August and September.
Baker departs the Twins ranked among the club’s all time leaders in several categories, including winning percentage (.568, fourth, minimum 100 decisions), starts (11th with 159), wins (11th with 63) and strikeouts (11th with 770).
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