ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.—The Tampa Bay Rays have signed free agent right-handed pitcher Chris Archer to a $6.5 million contract for the 2021 season. The signing brings the 40-man roster to its full capacity.

Archer, 32, begins his second stint with Tampa Bay after pitching for the Rays over parts of seven seasons from 2012-18. His first stint with the Rays ended with a trade to the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 31, 2018 in exchange for right-handed pitcher Tyler Glasnow, outfielder Austin Meadows and a player to be named (right-handed pitcher Shane Baz). He enters the 2021 season ranked second on the Rays all-time leaderboard with 1,146 strikeouts, trailing James Shields (1,250). He ranks second in Rays history in starts (177), third in innings pitched (1,063) and fourth in wins (54).

In 2020, Archer experienced neck tightness at the beginning of spring training and did not make his Grapefruit League debut until March 6. He underwent surgery to relieve symptoms of neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome on June 2, performed by Dr. Robert Thompson at Washington University in St. Louis, and missed the entire season.

Over parts of eight major league seasons, he is 60-80 with a 3.86 ERA (1,235-IP, 530-ER) in 212 appearances (210 starts). He is a two-time American League All-Star (2015, 2017) and pitched for Team USA in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. He was honored twice as the Rays nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award (2015, 2016) and by the Tampa Bay Chapter of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America as the Paul C. Smith Champion Award (2015), given to the player who best exemplifies the spirit of true professionalism on and off the field. He was the first pitcher in Rays history to make four straight Opening Day starts (2015-18), and tied James Shields (2008-10, 2012) for the most Opening Day starts in club history.

Archer was selected by the Cleveland Indians in the fifth round of the 2006 Amateur Draft out of Clayton (N.C.) High School. He was traded to the Chicago Cubs in December 2008, then to the Rays as part of the package for right-handed pitcher Matt Garza in January 2011. He made his major league debut for the Rays on June 20, 2012 at Washington.