Arizona Diamondbacks sign pitcher Joe Saunders

Jody Reed’s agent has been busy this winter.

Saunders agreed to a one-year, $6 million deal to rejoin the Diamondbacks’ rotation, a contract that’s not only for fewer years and dollars than Saunders expected on the open market but one that pushes the club’s payroll even further above its anticipated threshold.

“It’s a veteran who pitched well in the division on a division-winning team who can help lead (the pitching staff),” Diamondbacks General Manager Kevin Towers said. “And it allows our (pitching prospects) more time in the minor leagues to develop. We don’t think it’s going to be too long before they’re ready, and if there’s an injury we’ve created more depth.”

Saunders was non-tendered in December, as the Diamondbacks believed the roughly $8.5 million he would have earned in arbitration would be better allocated elsewhere….

“Joe said he had some offers that were out there similar to what we talked about prior to tender date,” Towers said, referring to a two-year, $12 million contract the club offered in December. “They were East Coast-based, and he said he wanted to stay in Arizona—that he’d take less to stay.”