The winter-long dance is over. Yu Darvish is joining the Chicago Cubs.

Darvish has agreed to a $126 million, six-year contract with Chicago, giving the Cubs one of the deepest rotations in baseball and taking one of the top players off the slow-moving free agent market.

The 31-year-old Darvish met with Cubs officials way back in December and the sides remained in contact while the right-hander listened to other potential suitors. Texas, Milwaukee, Minnesota and the New York Yankees also reportedly expressed some level of interest, but Chicago’s approach paid off with the agreement just days before the start of spring training.

A person with direct knowledge of the deal confirmed the contract to The Associated Press on Saturday on condition of anonymity because there was no official announcement. The move was first reported by The Athletic.

The addition of Darvish gives the Cubs a big boost as they try to return to the World Series after winning the title two years ago for the first time since 1908. He joins a formidable rotation that includes Jon Lester, Kyle Hendricks, Jose Quintana and Tyler Chatwood, who agreed to a $38 million, three-year contract in December.

Darvish finished last season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, helping them knock out the defending champion Cubs in the playoffs to reach the World Series. The Japanese star is expected to take the rotation spot of Jake Arrieta, who became a free agent after a successful run in the Windy City.

The deal for Darvish could help unlock the slow offseason across the sport. Arrieta, who won the NL Cy Young Award in 2015, remains on the market, and Alex Cobb and Lance Lynn also could draw more interest with Darvish locked up.

Darvish went 4-3 with a 3.44 ERA in nine starts with the Dodgers down the stretch. He shut down the Cubs in Game 3 of the NLCS, striking out seven while pitching 61/3 innings of one-run ball in a 6-1 victory at Wrigley Field.

But Darvish was hit hard in the World Series against Houston, managing just five outs in each of his two starts — including a loss in Game 7 — and there was talk he was tipping his pitches.

The four-time All-Star has had injury problems, missing the 2015 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery. He began last year with Texas and was traded to Los Angeles in July, going a combined 10-12 with a 3.86 ERA.

The deal with Darvish comes after the Cubs agreed to a minor league contract with Chris Gimenez, who regularly caught Darvish while they were in Texas and developed a trusted working relationship with the pitcher.

Drug suspensions: Former Tampa Bay pitcher Steve Geltz and three other minor leaguers have been suspended for drug violations.

The penalties were announced Saturday by the commissioner’s office.

Geltz was banned 100 games after a third positive test for a drug of abuse. The 30-year-old righty was on Philadelphia’s Triple-A roster.

In 2015, Geltz set a Rays record by retiring 32 straight batters. He last played in the majors in 2016. In four seasons with the Angels and Tampa Bay, he was a combined 2-9 with two saves and a 4.23 ERA in 110 games, all but two in relief.

Tampa Bay catcher Nick Ciuffo, on the Triple-A roster, drew a 50-game penalty for a second positive test for a drug of abuse.

San Diego Padres pitcher Alex Cunningham was suspended 50 games after testing positive for Amphetamine, a stimulant. He was at Single-A.

Pittsburgh second baseman Mitchell Tolman, on the Double-A roster, drew a 50-game suspension after a second positive test for a drug of abuse.

There have been 16 players suspended this year under the minor league program and three under the major league program: Houston pitcher Dean Deetz, Washington catcher Raudy Read and Pittsburgh pitcher Nik Turley.

Mattingly’s Miami mood: After all the deals and departures, Marlins manager Don Mattingly says he’s enthused about the upcoming season.

Really, he is.

“You probably think I’m crazy but I’m really excited about what’s going on,” Mattingly said Saturday during the team’s Fan Fest event at Marlins Park. “I can say it — look you right in the camera, look you right in the eye — I can tell you how excited I am to be here, and what we’re doing.”

This will be his third season guiding the club, and he’ll see a radically revamped roster without many stars when spring training begins within a week. Soon after taking over last fall, the new Marlins’ ownership, overseen by majority partner Bruce Sherman and CEO Derek Jeter, traded half the club’s starting lineup in an attempt to dramatically cut payroll and build an organizational foundation.

Gone in exchange for prospects were reigning NL MVP Giancarlo Stanton, who hit 59 home runs, and fellow outfielders Marcell Ozuna and Christian Yelich. They combined for a major league-best .913 OPS among outfield trios last season.