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 to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity 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.
Alvarez was shifted from third base to first by Pittsburgh in August 2014 because of poor defense. 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.
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.
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 RBI and 131 strikeouts last year.
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