Knowing they weren’t going to be players at the upper levels of the closers’ market, the Diamondbacks targeted the next tier down and came away with veteran right-hander Fernando Rodney, whose relatively modest deal was made official on Friday.
Rodney, who turns 40 in March, agreed to a one-year deal worth a reported $2.75 million plus incentives that could push the total value to $5 million. In a week in which the record contract for closers was twice broken – first by the Giants and Mark Melancon ($62 mllion over four years), then the Yankees and Aroldis Chapman ($86 million over five) – Rodney is essentially the bargain-bin option.