Dallas Keuchel Reportedly Agrees to 1-Year Deal With Braves

Just a day after Craig Kimbrel exited free agency purgatory, Dallas Keuchel has found himself a new home as well.

According to David O'Brien of The Athletic, the Atlanta Braves have agreed to terms with Keuchel on a new contract.

#Braves have agreed to terms with left-hander Dallas Keuchel, sources tell The Athletic.
Likely a one-year deal, but working to confirm that.
— David O'Brien (@DOBrienATL) June 7, 2019

Earlier on Thursday, reports indicated that the Braves emerged as the frontrunners for Keuchel's services, ahead of teams like the New York Yankees and St. Louis Cardinals.

It's amazing to see a former American League Cy Young winner stay on the open market for so long, but that was the case with Keuchel. A lot of that is due to teams' unwillingness to part ways with draft picks in order to acquire him, a stipulation that finally lapsed when the MLB Draft came and went this week.

On top of that, Keuchel was looking for a five-year deal, which created hesitancy among a number of teams. Now, he's content with a single pro-rated year.

Dallas Keuchel's deal with the Braves is for one year for around $20 million -- which will be prorated to $13 million, a source tells ESPN. @TBrownYahoo had the money, @DOBrienATL was first with the signing and @Feinsand said this morning they were making progress.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) June 7, 2019

Keuchel has the ability to be a quality pitcher and a leader in the clubhouse, as evidenced during his time with the Houston Astros. Last season, Keuchel posted a 12-11 record along with a 3.74 ERA one year removed from a World Series title.

Braves starters rank 17th in MLB with a 4.38 ERA. Dallas Keuchel had a 3.74 ERA a year ago and owns a 3.77 ERA over the last three seasons.
— Kyle Glaser (@KyleAGlaser) June 7, 2019

Now, he will provide stability to a Braves starting rotation that has relied heavily on young pitchers like Mike Soroka and Max Fried.