PHOENIX - The Diamondbacks agreed in principle with right-hander Brandon McCarthy on a two-year, $15.5 million contract on Friday, a deal that bolsters an already strong group of starting pitchers.
Arizona general manager Kevin Towers said McCarthy will slot in near the top of the Diamondbacks' rotation with Ian Kennedy, Trevor Cahill and Wade Miley.
The No. 5 spot may go to one of three rookies - Tyler Skaggs, Trevor Bauer or Pat Corbin - at least until July, when Daniel Hudson may return from elbow surgery.
McCarthy, 29, is coming off his two best years, going 8-6 with a 3.24 ERA in 2012 and 9-9 with a 3.32 ERA in 2011.
The deal is pending a physical next week, Towers said. McCarthy missed most of September after getting hit in the head by a line drive. He had surgery but recently was cleared for workouts by concussion doctors.
• Ex-D-backs and Angels starter Dan Haren, 32, agreed to a one-year deal with Washington, joining a Nationals rotation with Stephen Strasburg and Gio Gonzalez.
• The Chicago Cubs signed Japan reliever Kyuji Fujikawa, 32, in a $9.5 million, two-year deal. He had 220 saves in 12 seasons with the Hanshin Tigers.
• Baseball's average salary increased 3.8percent to a record $3.2 million. The Yankees ($6.88 million) had the highest average for the 14th straight season, the Dodgers ($5.5 million) rose from 13th to second and Houston ($685,000) had the lowest average.
MISCELLANEOUS
Turner's trial pushed to March
The DUI trial in Pima County Justice Court for former Arizona Wildcats basketball player Josiah Turner has been moved from Dec. 13 to March 12.
UA police arrested Turner on April 26, after he had left the Cats, and he later pleaded innocent to charges of extreme DUI (blood-alcohol level of .15 or higher), and four other charges. He pleaded not responsible for charges of failing to stop for a red light and not having a valid driver's license.
Turner, who left UA last spring after a tumultuous freshman season, began this season playing professionally in Hungary. He is now playing in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
• Brian Slugocki had a hat trick as the No. 18 UA hockey team beat Northern Arizona 8-1 on Friday night. The two teams will play again tonight at 7:30 at the TCC Arena.
• Femi Hollinger-Janzen scored in the first half as Indiana beat Creighton 1-0 on Friday to advance to the NCAA men's soccer final Sunday against Georgetown, which beat Maryland 4-3 on penalty kicks.
• NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said Friday he is out of ideas how to get negotiations back on track to save the hockey season. The two sides had no contact Friday.
Nick Piecoro, The Arizona Republic Bruce Pascoe Includes material from a news release
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