Orioles sign right-hander Yovani Gallardo to two-year contract with a club option for 2018

The Orioles today announced that they have signed right-hander Yovani Gallardo (pronounced yoh-VAH-nee giy-YAHR-doh) to a two-year contract with a club option for 2018. To make room on the 40-man roster, outfielder Efren Navarro has been designated for assignment.

Gallardo, 29, went 13-11 with a 3.42 ERA (70 earned runs in 184 1/3 innings pitched) in 33 starts with the Texas Rangers in 2015. The right-hander has earned 12 or more victories in six of his last seven seasons and is 102-75 with a 3.66 ERA (599 earned runs in 1,473 2/3 innings pitched) in 247 career major league games (244 starts). A National League All-Star in 2010, Gallardo posted four straight seasons of 200 or more strikeouts (2009-12) and has eclipsed the 200 innings pitched mark twice in his career (2011 and 2012). He is one of six pitchers to log at least 180 innings each year from 2009-15 and one of eight pitchers to make at least 30 starts each season in that span. Originally selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the second round of the 2004 First-Year Player Draft, Gallardo was also awarded the 2010 National League Silver Slugger as a pitcher.

Since 2009, Gallardo ranks seventh among major league pitchers in games started (223), 12th in victories (93) and strikeouts (1,226), and 15th in innings pitched (1,339 1/3). In six career postseason appearances (five starts), he is 2-2 with a 2.32 ERA (eight earned runs in 31 innings pitched) and was Texas' starting pitcher in Game 1 of the 2015 American League Division Series against Toronto, earning the win after allowing two runs on four hits over five innings.

Navarro, 29, was acquired by the Orioles from the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for cash considerations on January 26. He hit .253/.295/.301 with four doubles and five RBIs in 54 games with the Angels last season.