Zack Greinke says he signed with Dodgers because of money

Dodgers pitcher Zack Greinke said he signed with the team because of money. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Zack Greinke wasn’t shy when he was asked why he signed a six-year, $147 million deal with the team this offseason.

The deal is the second-most lucrative for a pitcher in baseball history, trailing only the $161 million CC Sabathia got when he signed with the New York Yankees in 2009.

“I could play for the worst team if they paid the most,” Greinke said in an interview with CBSSports.com, via ESPN.com. “If the last-place team offers $200 million and the first-place team offers $10, I’m going to go for the $200 million no matter what team it was. It’s obviously the No. 1 thing. I could play for the worst team if they paid the most. . . . If the last-place team offers $200 million and the first-place team offers $10, I’m going to go for the $200 million no matter what team it was.”

Greinke, who went 15-5 with a 3.48 ERA last season with the Los Angeles Angels, admits that he doesn’t need that much money but isn’t going to say no to a team offering it to him.

“The worst comment in the world has got to be when a guy who’s getting $100 million says he wants to ‘take care of my family,’” Greinke said. “Of course, nobody needs $100 million — or even half that — to keep their family going.”