Cincinnati Reds right-hander Homer Bailey said Monday that he is close to agreeing on a multiyear deal with the club.
Bailey has a salary arbitration hearing scheduled for Thursday. He is asking for $11.6 million while the team is offering $8.7 million.
Bailey went 11-12 with a 3.49 ERA last year and set career highs with 209 innings pitched and 199 strikeouts. He and the Reds avoided arbitration last season with a one-year, $5.35 million deal.
“There’s a lot of things we have in place; I feel the majority of it is worked out,” Bailey said, via the Cincinnati Enquirer. “It’s just the little details and stuff like that — but we’re really close. Us being here and everyone else being in different time zones puts a damper on things.”
The Cleveland Plain-Dealer reported Sunday that Bailey was close to agreeing on a six-year contract worth $100 million. If a deal is not reached, he will be an unrestricted free agent after the season.
Bailey, 27, is 49-45 with a 4.25 ERA over his career.
