PHOENIX -- It may have taken a little time, but the match between the D-backs and outfielder Kole Calhoun almost seemed to be a given after the Angels declined his 2020 contract option in early November.

Calhoun provides the D-backs with a right fielder that they lacked after free agent Adam Jones left for Japan and Steven Souza Jr. was not tendered a contract.

“I think it was a pretty natural fit for us,” D-backs general manager Mike Hazen said. “Our outfield was certainly an area that we’ve spent some time on this season. We think his combination of defense, offensive, on-base skills [and] power fit us very, very well. We love his makeup, the way he plays the game. He was an early target for us going into the offseason.”

The signing was made official on Monday and guarantees Calhoun $16 million over the next two years, with a club option for 2022 at $9 million. Calhoun will receive $6 million in '20 and $8 million in '22, then if his option is not picked up, he will get a $2 million buyout.

“Right when the Angels decided to decline my option, the Diamondbacks called that very first day,” Calhoun said. “Right from the very beginning, I think just for me personally, I wanted to be on a team that wanted me. And having that phone call on the very first day and the Diamondbacks being so engaging, it was something that was kind of lining up and obviously a place I really wanted to be.”

The 32-year-old was born in Buckeye, a suburb of Phoenix, and grew up a diehard D-backs fan.

During Arizona's run to the 2001 World Series title, Calhoun watched every game and said he was the only one awake in his house when Luis Gonzalez’s bloop single gave the D-backs a Game 7 walk-off win over the Yankees.

“I lost my mind, obviously being a fan and my team wins it, I thought it was the coolest thing ever,” Calhoun said. “You know, this is really kind of a dream come true, honestly. I’m born and raised here. Grew up a Diamondbacks fan. I think anybody who dreams of playing in the big leagues and you get there, your dream has really come true. But as a kid growing up, I always dreamed of playing for the Diamondbacks and now I’ve got that opportunity. I couldn’t be more excited.”

Still, it took some time for the two sides to come together.

Calhoun hit .232 with a career-high 33 home runs and 74 RBIs in 152 games for the Angels last season, a nice bounce-back year after he struggled in 2018.

Other teams expressed interest in Calhoun, and while some of the top names like Gerrit Cole, Anthony Rendon and Stephen Strasburg went off the board during, or right after, the Winter Meetings, the rest of the corner outfield market took a little time to develop.

“Getting through the [Winter] Meetings, we circled back and connected with him and were able to get it done,” Hazen said.

A left-handed hitter, Calhoun slashed .212/.312/.424 against lefties, and Hazen said the team does not view him as a platoon player.

“We hope that he’s going to bring everyday at-bats to the table,” Hazen said. “I’m sure as we do with David [Peralta] and [other left-handed hitters], when he gets days off, which he will, it will probably be against lefties.”