Pitcher Dave Righetti, who declined a reported...

Pitcher Dave Righetti, who declined a reported $10-million offer to play in Japan, agreed in principle to a three-year, $4.3-million contract that will keep him with the New York Yankees through the 1990 season.

Righetti is the first pitcher to get more than a two-year contract since baseball’s free-agent market tightened up in the winter of 1985.

“He got three years because he earned it,” said Yankee General Manager Lou Piniella. “There were numerous reasons. Righetti was the top free-agent pitcher and a part of our organization for his entire career. He’s a foundation player as far as our organization is concerned.”