Twins sign pitcher Ricky Nolasco

The Minnesota Twins on Tuesday officially announced the signing of 30-year-old right handed pitcher Ricky Nolasco.

The contract guarantees the veteran pitcher $12 million in salary a year for four years.

Nolasco is a California native who played with the Los Angeles Dodgers last season where he won 13 games and lost 11 with a 3.70 earned run average. He's the kind of starting pitcher the Twins were hoping to find in the free agent market, Twins General Manager Terry Ryan said.

"We need starting pitching badly -- and about anybody who was out on that market we've certainly explored," said Ryan. Nolasco, he added, "gives innings. He can strike people out. He doesn't walk anybody. That's about kind of what you're looking for in a guy in the rotation."

Nolasco was originally selected by the Chicago Cubs in 2001 and has played for the Florida Marlins. He has a career win-loss record of 89-75 and has chalked up more than 1,000 strikeouts.

He's never pitched for an American League team but said he wasn't concerned about switching to the league that uses a designated hitter in the lineup instead of requiring pitchers to hit.

"I'm just worried about what I have to do to continue to make quality pitches," he said, adding he was looking forward to pitching at Target Field, which is considered a pitcher-friendly ballpark.