Report: Francis agrees to contract with Rockies

Alex White will start Friday and Christian Friedrich will start Sunday for the Colorado Rockies against the Angels.

Manager Jim Tracy said he couldn't name a starter for Saturday, but it could be left-hander Jeff Francis, who agreed to a contract with the Rockies on Wednesday, the Denver Post reported.

Francis asked for his release from the Cincinnati organization after throwing a shutout Sunday for Class AAA Louisville, where he went 3-6 with a 3.72 ERA. He had 18 walks and 65 strikeouts in 77 1/3 innings.

Francis, 31, had a June 1 opt-out date in the minor league deal he signed with the Reds and exercised it June 3 after blanking Durham on seven hits.

Francis was the Rockies' first-round pick in 2002, the ninth overall pick in that draft. He reached the majors in August 2004 and pitched for the Rockies through 2010, going 55-51. Francis went 17-9 in 2007 when the Rockies went to the World Series, but he began having shoulder problems the following season, leading to shoulder surgery in February 2009.