D-Backs snag Kubel for 2 years

The Arizona Diamondbacks have reached agreement on a two-year, $15 million contract with free agent outfielder Jason Kubel.

General manager Kevin Towers confirmed the deal late Monday afternoon, saying it was contingent on Kubel passing a physical. The contract includes a mutual option for a third year.

The addition comes as something of a surprise because it would send left fielder Gerardo Parra to the bench as the Diamondbacks’ fourth outfielder. Parra had a breakthrough season in 2011, batting .292 and winning a Gold Glove as one of the game’s best defensive outfielders.

Kubel would add a left-handed slugger to the batting order in home run-friendly Chase Field. He had 104 home runs and 429 RBI in seven seasons with the Minnesota Twins.

The 29-year-old outfielder was limited by injury to 99 games last season, batting .273 with 12 homers and 58 RBI. In 2010, Kubel hit .249 in 143 games with 21 home runs and 92 RBI. His best season came in 2009, when he batted .300, hit 28 home runs and drove in 102.

The Twins had talked about re-signing Kubel but chose instead to sign ex-Oakland slugger Josh Willingham. Kubel is the third longtime Minnesota player to leave as a free agent this offseason. Closer Joe Nathan signed with Texas and outfielder Michael Cuddyer signed with Colorado.

Until now, Towers’ offseason moves have centered on pitching. He acquired right-handed starter Trevor Cahill, lefty reliever Craig Breslow and cash from the Oakland Athletics for leading pitching prospect Jarrod Parker, reliever Ryan Cook and outfielder Collin Cowgill.

The team signed 41-year-old reliever Takashi Saito to a 1-year, $1.75 million contract.

ROLLINS GLAD TO STAY

When Jimmy Rollins had the chance to go somewhere else, he just couldn’t walk away from the Philadelphia Phillies.

The smooth-talking, slick-fielding shortstop has spent nearly half his life with the same organization, so he turned down more money from the Milwaukee Brewers to stay in Philadelphia.

Rollins and the Phillies finalized a $33 million, three-year contract. The deal includes a vesting option for a fourth year at $11 million. If not vested, that could be a club option at $8 million or a player option at $5 million.

“You have to take everything in consideration when you’ve been somewhere since you were 17,” Rollins said. “To go somewhere new, at this part of my career, you feel like a rented player because you weren’t part of the process of building the team up.”

Rollins, a three-time All-Star and the 2007 National League MVP, is the longest-tenured athlete in Philadelphia. Selected in the second round of the 1996 amateur draft, he was a free agent for the first time in his career.

Rollins, who turned 33 last month, sought a five-year deal. The Phillies didn’t want to go that long, and Rollins didn’t want to leave. So, they reached an agreement over the weekend.

“Jimmy has been an integral part of this franchise’s recent success and is arguably the best shortstop in club history,” general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said. “He also stands to be one of the Phillies’ all-time greatest players.”

SHORT HOPS

Reliever Frank Francisco has signed a two-year contract with the Mets. The 32-year-old Francisco went 1-4 with 17 saves and a 3.55 ERA in 54 games with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2011. … Former Mariners outfielder Mike Cameron has agreed to a minor league contract with the Washington Nationals and an invitation to spring training. Cameron, who turns 39 in January, split last season between the Boston Red Sox and Florida Marlins. He had a .203 batting average, .285 on-base percentage, nine homers and 27 RBI in 237 at-bats.

For his career, Cameron has hit .249 with 278 homers, 968 RBI and 297 steals over 17 seasons with eight clubs. He was an All-Star with Seattle in 2001 and won three Gold Gloves.