Twins sign veteran pitcher Anibal Sanchez for spring training tryout

The Twins will bring starting pitcher Anibal Sanchez to spring training and, if he makes the team, he will get a one-year, $2.5 million deal.

Sanchez, who turns 34 on Feb. 27, can also earn $2.5 million in incentives, a major league source confirmed. He must pass a physical before the team makes the move official.

He will be added to the Twins' 40-man roster, but his contract will only become guaranteed if he makes the team. If he doesn't, Sanchez will have the option to become a free agent rather than be sent to the minors.

The Twins will have to make room on the 40-man roster for him, but they are expected to place pitcher Michael Pineda, who had Tommy John elbow ligament replacement surgery last July, on the 60-day disabled list early next week.

Sanchez went 14-8 with an AL-best 2.57 ERA for Detroit in 2013, when he finished fourth in AL Cy Young Award voting. But since then, he made two trips to the disabled list in 2014, had rotator cuff issues in 2015, lost his spot in the rotation in 2016 and was demoted to the minors for a spell in 2017.

He was 3-7 with a 6.41 ERA for Detroit last year, and the Tigers paid him a $5 million buyout instead of picking up his $16 million option for 2018.

In 12 major league seasons with the Marlins and Tigers, he is 90-94 with a 4.09 ERA. Originally signed by Boston, the Venezuelan was dealt to the Marlins in 2005 with Hanley Ramirez and two others in a deal for Josh Beckett, Guillermo Mota and Mike Lowell. The Tigers acquired him from Miami in July 2012, then signed him to a five-year, $80 million contract that offseason.

With more than 80 free agents still on the market, the Twins will continue to look for starting rotation help. Projected No. 1 starter Ervin Santana (finger surgery) is expected to be sidelined until late April or early May.