SEATTLE — The Seattle Mariners have signed free-agent Japanese pitcher Hisashi Iwakuma to a one-year contract.
The team announced the move Thursday.
Iwakuma has a 107-69 record in 226 career games in Japan. The right-hander was selected the 2008 Pacific League MVP and winner of the Eiji Sawamura Award (the equivalent of the Cy Young Award) after going 21-4 with a 1.87 ERA.
Last season, Iwakuma went 6-7 with a 2.42 ERA and 90 strikeouts in 17 starts. He missed part of the season with a sore right shoulder.
Last offseason, the Oakland Athletics bid $19.1 million under the posting system to win negotiating rights to Iwakuma. The sides were unable to reach an agreement during the 30-day negotiating period and Iwakuma returned to his Japanese team.
The Mariners also invited infielder Munenori Kawasaki to spring training the 30-year-old said on Thursday.
Kawasaki batted .267 with 161 hits in 144 games last season to help lead the Softbank Hawks to their first Japan Series championship in eight years.
Kawasaki previously said he would go to the major leagues, provided he could join Ichiro Suzuki in Seattle.
Suzuki and Kawasaki worked out together in Kobe on Thursday. The Mariners and Oakland Athletics open the 2012 season in Japan with a two-game series at Tokyo Dome on March 28 and 29.
Zambrano is headed to Miami
MIAMI — Carlos Zambrano’s trade to the Miami Marlins has been approved, and in exchange the Chicago Cubs will receive right-hander Chris Volstad.
The deal was completed Thursday after both players passed physicals and Major League Baseball gave approval.
Yankees fail to sign shortstop
NEW YORK — The New York Yankees say they have failed to sign Japanese shortstop Hiroyuki Nakajima.
The Yankees won negotiating rights to the 29-year-old last month with a high bid of $2.5 million. But because they failed to reach an agreement within 30 days, they do not have to pay the posting fee and his rights revert to the Seibu Lions of Japan’s Pacific League.
Nakajima hit .297 with 16 homers and 100 RBIs last season for the Lions.
Rockies acquire manager’s son
DENVER — The Colorado Rockies have acquired a minor league infielder that manager Jim Tracy loves — his son.
Chad Tracy was traded from the Texas Rangers to Colorado on Thursday for right-hander Greg Reynolds, the No. 2 selection in the 2006 amateur draft out of Stanford.
The 26-year-old Tracy hit .259 with 26 home runs and 109 RBIs for Triple-A Round Rock last season. He receives a non-roster invitation to spring training.
Pujols deal completed
NEW YORK — Albert Pujols officially joined the Los Angeles Angels when Major League Baseball and the players’ association confirmed the terms of the first baseman’s 10-year contract and agreed its guaranteed value is $240 million.
The deal was reached four weeks earlier on the final day of the winter meetings. The contract took nearly a month to draft and was completed Thursday.
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