The Minnesota Twins and starting pitcher Pablo López agreed Monday on a four-year, $73.5 million contract extension, according to a person with direct knowledge of the deal.

López’s first season with the Twins has started splendidly after he arrived in a trade with Miami that sent 2022 American League batting champion Luis Arraez to the Marlins. The right-hander has a 1.73 ERA through four starts with 33 strikeouts in 26 innings and only 15 hits allowed.

López was the hard-luck loser Sunday when New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole pitched a two-hit shutout to beat the Twins 2-0. That was the second complete game in the major leagues this year. The first one also came at López’s expense, when 2022 NL Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara pitched a three-hit shutout April 4 to beat the Twins 3-0.

López, who posted a 3.94 ERA over 94 starts with the Marlins, is making $5.45 million this season, his second year of arbitration eligibility. The new deal will give the Twins some additional long-term stability around a rotation that has emerged in 2023 as a clear strength of the team.

Sonny Gray, Kenta Maeda and Tyler Mahle are all in the final year of their contracts, eligible to become free agents in the fall.

Joe Ryan is the only other starter under club control beyond 2023.

The 27-year-old López, a native of Venezuela, has given the Twins an ace-caliber leader to build around. He took the mound for a career-high 32 starts last season.

Cards’ Wainwright set for rehab start

St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright, out with a groin injury, will make a rehab start Wednesday afternoon for the Double-A Springfield Redbirds.

The 41-year-old right-handed pitcher is in his 18th and final season with the franchise. He has 195 wins. He went 11-12 last season with a 3.71 ERA in 32 starts.