Mark Mulder will attempt his major league comeback as a member of the Los Angeles Angels.
The former All-Star, who last pitched in 2008, has signed a minor league contract with the Angels that includes an invitation to the team’s big league spring training camp, according to ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick.
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports adds that Mulder’s deal could be worth more than $6 million if he receives all of its performance-based incentives.
A two-time All-Star with the Oakland Athletics, Mulder was 88-40 with a 3.65 ERA from 2001-2005. But after shoulder surgeries in 2006 and 2007, the star left-hander struggled to get back to his dominating ways, prompting him to retire at 32.
Mulder began working as an MLB analyst with ESPN in 2011, but he decided to put that career on hold after seeing something in the delivery of Dodgers reliever Paco Rodriguez in 2013. Mulder, 36, who is reportedly throwing in the low-90s, pitched for the San Francisco Giants and Arizona Diamondbacks before landing with the Angels.
“Mark chose the Angels because he has an opportunity to compete for a spot in the starting rotation. Along with the Angels being a championship-caliber club, that made it a good fit,” said Mulder’s agent, Brian Charles.
