Red Sox win arbitration case against pitcher Fernando Abad

Abad was 2-1 with a 3.30 ERA in 48 games with the Red Sox last year. (Duane Burleson/AP)

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Boston Red Sox have defeated pitcher Fernando Abad in Major League Baseball’s first salary arbitration hearing this year.

Abad was awarded $2 million on Tuesday by arbitrators Robert Herzog, Phillip LaPorte and Dennis Archer rather than his $2.7 million request. The panel heard the case a day earlier.

The 31-year-old left-hander was 1-6 with a 3.66 ERA last year in 57 relief appearances for Minnesota and Boston, which acquired him on Aug. 1 for right-hander Pat Light. Abad was 0-2 with a 6.39 ERA in 18 games for the Red Sox.

Abad made $1.3 million last year. He can become a free agent after this season.

Boston’s previous hearing was when pitcher Rolando Arrojo was awarded the team’s $1.9 million offer in 2002 instead of his $2.8 million request.

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