Jon Niese must undergo a physical Friday before a five-year extension that guarantees him $25.5 million becomes official. Still, Niese was all smiles after Thursday's 1-0 win against the Atlanta Braves.

The southpaw said from the time the topic first came up to when the agreement was reached in principle Wednesday was only "maybe a week." With two team option years, the deal could be worth as much as $45.5 million.

"It's a blessing," Niese said. "I'm not really surprised, because they wanted to do it, and they expressed interest. I think both sides wanted to get it done fairly quickly, before the season got going."

Who initiated the contract talks?

"A little bit of both," Niese said.

Niese makes his season debut Sunday opposite Atlanta left-hander Mike Minor.

As for what it means to have the deal only lacking a physical, Niese said: "It means a lot. It's a relief. It's just a burden off my shoulders. It's something I don't have to think about when I go out and pitch. I can just go out there and pitch, have fun and help the team win."

Told he can now pay back Carlos Beltran, who footed the $10,000 bill for the southpaw's nose job, Niese quipped: "Yeah right."

He didn't have any immediate plans for a big purchase, but smiled when it was noted that a contract like that can buy something pretty nice back in his native Ohio.

"Yes, it does," he said. "It buys a lot anywhere."