Red Sox sign reliever Tazawa to $3.375M deal to avoid arbitration

Relief pitcher Junichi Tazawa (Charles Rex Arbogast/AP)

BOSTON — Junichi Tazawa and the Boston Red Sox have avoided salary arbitration, agreeing to a one-year contract worth $3,375,000.

As part of the agreement announced Wednesday, Tazawa could earn a $25,000 performance bonus for pitching in 70 games. The deal is not guaranteed.

The 29-year-old right-hander was 2-7 with three saves and a 4.14 ERA in 61 relief appearances last year, his third straight season with 60 games or more. He is 14-18 with four saves and a 3.47 ERA in 249 career big league games, including four starts.

After earning $2.25 million last year, Tazawa had asked for a raise to $4.15 million in arbitration and had been offered $2.7 million. The agreement was $50,000 below the midpoint.

Left-hander Robbie Ross is Boston’s last player in arbitration.

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