CLEARWATER, Fla. — Two people familiar with the deal said Sunday that free-agent ace Jake Arrieta and the Philadelphia Phillies agreed to a three-year deal.

Both people spoke on condition of anonymity because the contract is pending a physical. The deal reportedly is worth $75 million.

Arrieta, a 32-year-old right-hander, was among several top free agents who didn’t get a deal for six or seven years in a changing market. The Phillies, who have plenty of money to spend, waited until the price was right for them.

Arrieta won the 2015 NL Cy Young Award with the Chicago Cubs and helped them win the World Series the next season. He was 14-10 with a 3.53 ERA in 30 starts last year.

Arrieta was 68-31 with a 2.73 ERA in five seasons in Chicago. He’ll join Aaron Nola atop the Phillies’ rotation on a team that finished last in the NL East.

RED SOX: Colby Rasmus and Chance Sisco drove in first-inning runs against Boston starter Rick Porcello, who pitched four innings, allowing four runs and seven hits in a 7-3 loss to Baltimore at Fort Myers, Florida.

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Mookie Betts homered for the first time this spring and walked twice for the Red Sox, and Hanley Ramirez had two hits and an RBI.

REDS: Starter Anthony DeSclafani has a strained left oblique – the third straight year he’s been hurt in spring training.

Manager Bryan Price said DeScalfani felt discomfort during his last spring appearance and an exam found the problem. It’s unclear how long he might be sidelined. The Reds open the season in a little over two weeks.

MARLINS: Second baseman Starlin Castro said he’s over the initial shock and disappointment he felt upon learning in December that he had been traded from the contending New York Yankees to the rebuilding Marlins.

“It’s kind of tough because I’d been there two years,” Castro said. “We had a good team over there. We made the playoffs last year. When they made the trade, I felt a little upset.”

BLUE JAYS: Reliever Joe Biagini is being stretched out at spring training to provide rotation depth, and one bad start doesn’t concern Manager John Gibbons.

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Biagini lasted 12/3 innings Sunday, allowing all five runs scored by Pittsburgh in a 5-0 win. Biagini walked two, struck out two and gave up four hits, including consecutive homers to Adam Frazier and Gregory Polanco that ended his day.

TWINS: Minnesota unconditionally released right-hander Anibal Sanchez after a three-week stint with the club.

The move cleared a space on the 40-man roster. The Twins, according to multiple reports Saturday, agreed to terms on a one-year, $12 million contract with free-agent right-hander Lance Lynn to further upgrade their rotation. The team hasn’t confirmed the reported deal with Lynn, who went 11-8 with a 3.43 ERA in 33 starts for St. Louis last season.

METS: The question of whether Jacob deGrom will be the opening-day starting hasn’t been resolved. But if he isn’t, it likely won’t be because of his talent.

Making his spring debut after being sidelined with back stiffness and leaving camp for his daughter’s birth, deGrom overpowered the Houston Astros at times in his two-plus innings Sunday. He struck out the side in the top of the first and hit 98 mph during his 47-pitch outing.

YANKEES: Aaron Judge homered for the first time this spring and Didi Gregorius hit his second for New York in a 7-5 loss to Miami at Jupiter, Florida.

Both home runs came against Miami prospect Sandy Alcantara, who pitched the last four innings in relief.


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