Marlins agree to terms with pitcher Edinson Volquez

The Marlins shored up their starting rotation Monday by agreeing to terms on a two-year deal with free agent right-hander Edinson Volquez.

The 33-year-old veteran was the Marlins’ top pitching target.

According to sources, Volquez will receive a deal worth $22 million.

Volquez helps fortify a rotation that suffered a major setback when staff ace Jose Fernandez was killed in a boating accident in late September.

A veteran of 12 major-league seasons, Volquez owns a career mark of 89-79 with a 4.44 ERA.

Volquez has spent the past two seasons with the Kansas City Royals, where he went 23-20 with a 4.43 ERA in 67 starts. A native of the Dominican Republic, Volquez has also pitched for Cincinnati, San Diego, Texas, Pittsburgh and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Volquez joins a rotation that is likely to include Adam Conley, Tom Koehler, Wei-Yin Chen and possibly David Phelps.

The Marlins could still attempt to acquire another starter — either by trade or free agent signing — should they decide to put Phelps in the bullpen.

The deal, which is contingent on Volquez passing a physical, could also signal that the Marlins intend to hold on to outfielder Marcell Ozuna, who is often mentioned as a trade candidate in the team’s push to upgrade its pitching staff.

While Volquez brings postseason experience to a Marlins team that hasn’t appeared in one since 2003, he struggled badly in the second half of 2016, going 2-3 with a 6.12 ERA in 15 starts for the Royals.

But in what is a thin free agent pitching market, Volquez became the Marlins’ primary offseason target as they looked to strengthen a rotation that lost its top pitcher in Fernandez.

This story was originally published November 28, 2016 at 9:23 PM with the headline "Marlins agree to terms with pitcher Edinson Volquez."