Texas Rangers Sign Yu Darvish to Pitching Lineup

A new arm will be added to the Texas Rangers pitching lineup.

25-year-old Japanese right-handed pitcher Yu Darvish has accepted a $60-million, 6-year deal from the Arlington ball club, shortly before the negotiating window ended.

Darvish, who played for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Japan’s Pacific League, is regarded as Japan’s top pitcher.

The Rangers posted a record-setting $51.7 million fee to the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters required for the exclusive rights to negotiate with Darvish. Had negotiations fallen through, the Rangers would have kept the sizable fee.

Rangers pitchers Yoshinori Tateyama and Koji Uehara were also picked up from Japanese leagues as well.