The Los Angeles Angels on Monday avoided arbitration with starting pitcher Jerome Williams, signing him to a one-year deal. The contract is worth $820,000, per Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com, plus up to an additional $120,000 in bonuses based on starts and games pitched.
Williams, 30, is expected to round out the starting rotation for the Angels, which is considered one of the best in baseball. The Angels last week added left-handed starter C.J. Wilson to a pitching staff that already had Jered Weaver, Dan Haren, and Ervin Santana.
Williams was 4-0 with a 3.68 ERA in 10 games for the Angels in 2011, including six starts. It was his first action in the major leagues since 2007, as he pitched in the minor leagues through 2009 before pitching in Taiwan in 2010. He signed a minor league contract with the Angels in June 2011.
The Angels still have Erick Aybar, Alberto Callaspo, Howie Kendrick, and Kendrys Morales eligible for salary arbitration this winter. The deadline to tender contracts to such players is 9 p.m. PST Monday night.
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