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MESA, Ariz. (AP) — Outfielder Dexter Fowler agreed to stay with the Cubs, spurning a $33 million, three-year offer from the Baltimore Orioles to accept a $13 million, one-year deal with Chicago on Thursday that includes a mutual option for 2017.

“This is where my heart is,” said Fowler, who surprised his teammates by showing up at workouts alongside Cubs executive Theo Epstein after manager Joe Maddon called the team together.

Fowler rejected a $15.8 million, one-year qualifying offer from the Cubs in November to test the freeagent market. Under the agreement announced Thursday, he gets $8 million this year, and the sides have a $9 million option for 2017 with a $5 million buyout.

Orioles executive vice president for baseball operations Dan Duquette said Fowler insisted on being able to terminate his agreement after 2016 and become a free agent again.

“We made a very competitive offer. The issue was the opt out,” Duquette said. “The Orioles have made it clear that that type of deal wouldn’t really work for us. Based on that, it sounds to me like he wanted to return to Chicago.”

Fowler’s agent, Casey Close, ripped Baltimore and said the Orioles intentionally ignored free agency rules.

“In my 25 years in this business, never before have I witnessed such irresponsible behavior on so many fronts,” he said in a statement posted online. “Both the Orioles front office and members of the media were so busy recklessly spreading rumors that they forgot or simply chose not to concern themselves with the truth.”



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