LOS ANGELES – MARCH 23: Relief pitcher Yu Darvish #11 of Japan reacts after getting the final out against Korea during the finals of the 2009 World Baseball Classic on March 23, 2009 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

ARLINGTON (CBSDFW.COM) - The gamble on Yu Darvish has paid off for the Texas Rangers.

On Wednesday Darvish signed a 6-year $56 million deal, putting him with the club through the 2017 season.

The team announced the deal in a release issued Wednesday afternoon just before the 4 p.m. deadline.

Darvish will reportedly wear uniform number 11, the number worn by Toby Harrah during his stay in Arlington. The Japanese pitcher will travel to Texas later this week and be formally introduced at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington on Friday.

Darvish has spent his career with the Nippon Ham Fighters of the Japanese Pacific League.   He has a 76-26 record with a .172 earned run average.  In 2011, he had an 18-6 record with a .144 era with 276 strikeouts and 232 innings pitched.  He had 10 complete games with 6 shutouts.