Infielder Pedro Alvarez and the Baltimore Orioles have agreed to a $5.75 million, one-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations said Tuesday.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press because the deal had not yet been completed by the Orioles.
Baltimore likely will give Alvarez the bulk of his playing time at designated hitter. His arrival probably means Mark Trumbo will play right field.
Orioles manager Buck Showalter said Trumbo has been taking outfield practice throughout spring training
"We knew that a possible addition might come, and we want to be able to not wait until the end," Showalter said in Sarasota, Florida.
Alvarez was shifted from third base to first by Pittsburgh in August 2014 because of poor defence. He became a free agent in December when the Pirates declined to offer a contract because they didn’t want to pay what he would earn in salary arbitration.
Orioles first baseman Chris Davis was pleased with Alvarez’s addition.
"Any time you add a player like that, it’s obviously exciting," he said. "We’ve got a lot of power potential on this team. We did before, but we just keep adding to it. I’m sure he’s excited to finally have a place to call home and finally get after it."
Manager John Farrell of AL East rival Boston said the Red Sox will have to adjust to Alvarez’s arrival.
"Another power bat in a hitter’s ballpark," Farrell said. "Buck’s teams have always been ones that have been filled with power. This lineup projects to be very similar to that."
A 29-year-old power hitter, Alvarez has 131 homers in six major league seasons and was an All-Star in 2013. He hit .243 with 27 homers, 77 RBIs and 131 strikeouts last year.
Alvarez could earn an additional $1.25 million in performance bonuses based on plate appearances: $200,000 each for 350, 400, 450, 500 and 550, and $250,000 for 600.
