Marlins, Chen Sign Five-Year MLB Deal

The Miami Marlins and free-agent left-hander Wei-Yin Chen have agreed to a five-year, $80 million deal that includes a sixth-year vesting option, sources told ESPN's Buster Olney.

The deal could be worth up to $96 million if the sixth-year option vests, and Chen can opt out of the contract after the second year, sources told Olney.

Chen's option will vest for the 2021 season based on how many innings he pitches in the 2019 and 2020 seasons, sources told Olney.

Chen, 30, was one of the top remaining free-agent pitchers available. He went 11-8 with a 3.34 ERA with the Baltimore Orioles last season.

Chen, a native of Taiwan, figures to serve as Miami's No. 2 starter behind ace Jose Fernandez.

Chen pitched four seasons with the Orioles, going 46-32 with a 3.72 ERA in 117 career starts. He had a breakthrough season in 2014, when he went 16-6 with a 3.54 ERA and helped Baltimore win the AL East.

Mendoza Now Permanent Fixture in Sunday Prime-Time Booth

Jessica Mendoza wonders what she'd be doing during the upcoming Major League Baseball season if not for some events out of her control.

The retired softball star was scheduled to call two Monday night MLB games late in 2015 for ESPN and hoped to get a regular gig this year, but figured she might need to wait longer for a slot to open up.

Instead, six days after her debut, she leapt onto the network's showcase platform of "Sunday Night Baseball" -- and hasn't left since.

ESPN is announcing Wednesday that the 35-year-old Mendoza is now a permanent fixture in the Sunday prime-time booth. She'll join another new analyst, Aaron Boone, alongside returning play-by-play voice Dan Shulman.

They replace Curt Schilling, who moves to Monday, and John Kruk, who returns to "Baseball Tonight."

"It's just crazy when I look back, and literally less than six months ago I had no idea what was going to happen after the Monday night games," Mendoza says.