Mark Mulder gets minor league deal

— -- Pitcher Mark Mulder has reached agreement on a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Angels that includes an invitation to the team's big league spring training camp, Mulder's agent confirmed Wednesday.

If Mulder makes the big league roster and achieves all his incentives and award bonuses, the deal could be worth more than $6 million, according to a baseball source.

"Mark chose the Angels because he has an opportunity to compete for a spot in the starting rotation. Along with the Angels being a championship-caliber club, that made it a good fit,'' agent Brian Charles of Big League Management Company said.

Mulder, 36, is 103-60 with a 4.18 ERA in nine seasons with the Oakland Athletics and St. Louis Cardinals. He hasn't pitched since 2008 because of shoulder issues, and has been working as an analyst with ESPN since 2011.

Mulder began his comeback in Arizona in November and auditioned for the San Francisco Giants, Arizona Diamondbacks and numerous other clubs before reaching agreement with the Angels.

Los Angeles currently has Jered Weaver and C.J. Wilson at the top of its rotation, with Joe Blanton, Garrett Richards and recently acquired lefties Tyler Skaggs and Hector Santiago among the other candidates for starting spots. The Angels have also indicated that they have an interest in pursuing Japanese free agent Masahiro Tanaka.