UPDATE (11:15am on Friday) -- The Angels on Friday morning officially announced the signing of right-handed starter Tim Lincecum to a 2016 contract.
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SAN DIEGO -- Tim Lincecum's legendary run in San Francisco is finally over.
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Lincecum passed his physical Thursday, per MLB Network's Jon Heyman, putting the finishing touches on a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Angels. Per Heyman, Lincecum will get a prorated amount of a $2.5 million salary, with a chance to earn an additional $1.7 million in incentives. Lincecum had intended all along to sign a one-year deal, hoping to prove his worth as a starter and then enter the market again in the offseason. The Angels have yet to announce the deal, but the Giants were told earlier in the week that they were out of the running.
"It's been a long road for him. Good for him," manager Bruce Bochy said on Tuesday. "Everybody on the team will be pulling for him. The staff, myself, the organization. We can't thank him enough for what he did for us."
Lincecum, selected 10th overall in the 2006 draft, spent the previous nine seasons with the Giants, going 108-83 with a 3.61 ERA in 269 appearances. He won the Cy Young Award in 2008, his first full season, and again in 2009, and he was an All-Star four consecutive years.
Lincecum made 13 postseason appearances for the Giants, including five starts during the 2010 run. His 14-strikeout shutout of the Braves in the NLDS that year will always be remembered as of the best individual performances in franchise history. In 2012 and 2014, Lincecum shifted to the bullpen, again providing a boost to championship clubs.
San Francisco Giants
Aside from the titles and two no-hitters, the last four seasons weren’t particularly kind to Lincecum, who remained a fan favorite throughout. His fastball — once sitting in the high 90s — dropped to the upper 80s by last season, and his ERA ranged from 4.13 to 5.18 after an All-Star season in 2011.
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Lincecum’s arm was always healthy, but his hip — a key in his unique delivery — required surgery last September. The player lovingly known as The Freak spent all winter rehabbing, and as he returned to the national stage with a showcase two weeks ago, it became clear that the Giants might not be the right fit. Team officials said over and over again that they viewed Lincecum as a reliever, but he wanted a starting spot.
The Angels can give Lincecum that opportunity. Their ace, Garrett Richards, is undergoing a stem-cell procedure to try and avoid Tommy John surgery, and starters Andrew Heaney and C.J. Wilson also are on the disabled list.
"That's what I was hoping when I heard he was doing a showcase and felt good. I wanted him to have a chance to start," shortstop Brandon Crawford said after word of Lincecum's agreement with the Angels leaked. "That's what he wanted. I loved having Timmy as a teammate, and I want whatever he wants. That was to start, and he's getting that chance."
Lincecum has been throwing lengthy bullpen sessions for several months, so he should be further along than your average pitcher reporting for the first time. If he can make it through a minor league assignment quickly, he could soon be pitching back in the Bay Area. The Angels visit the A's on June 17.