The Seattle Mariners have avoided a potentially dicey situation with star pitcher Felix Hernandez, signing the right-hander to a one-year contract.
The deal, reportedly worth $3.8 million, came together Sunday night and allows the two sides to avoid the often contentious arbitration process. Tuesday was the deadline for the Mariners and Hernandez to trade salary numbers had he not signed.
Hernandez went 9-11 in 2008 but led the Mariners with a 3.45 earned-run average. He started 31 games and pitched 200 innings, reaching that mark for the first time in his career. He also led the team with 175 strikeouts.
Hernandez made $540,000 last year when his contract was automatically renewed by the club.
The Mariners have two other arbitration-eligible players, left-handed pitcher Erik Bedard and right-handed pitcher Aaron Heilman.
Bedard made $7 million in 2008, when he went 6-4 with a 3.67 ERA in 15 starts before his season ended in early July because of a shoulder injury. Heilman, obtained from the New York Mets in the J.J. Putz trade, made $1.2 million. He went 3-8 with a 5.21 ERA in 78 relief appearances last year.
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