The Los Angeles Dodgers today finalized their three-year deal with Matt Guerrier, locking him up for a total of $12 million through 2013. The right-handed reliever pitched previously for the Minnesota Twins, where he was 19-25 with a 3.38 ERA in 472 innings from 2004-2010. Guerrier was 5-7 with a 3.17 ERA in 74 games for Minnesota last season, and has pitched in at least 73 games in each of the last four seasons.
"Matt gives us depth in the bullpen as he’s proven to be a strong performer on a team that contends year in and year out," said general manager Ned Colletti. "He’s willing to take the ball in any situation and his track record speaks for itself. We’re excited to have him in the late innings for the next few seasons." The 32-year-old Guerrier figures to slide behind Jonathan Broxton and Hong-Chih Kuo in the bullpen pecking order, pitching primarily the seventh and eighth innings.
Per Tony Jackson of ESPN Los Angeles, the contract will be paid out as follows:
- 2011: $1.5 million
- 2012: $4.75 million
- 2013: $4.75 million
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2014: $1 million (part of deferred signing bonus)
Guerrier is the sixth pitcher acquired by the Dodgers this offseason. Starters Ted Lilly, Hiroki Kuroda and Jon Garland all signed free agent deals, while Vicente Padilla signed an incentive-laden one-year deal to fill a hybrid role of reliever and spot starter as needed. The Dodgers also traded Ryan Theriot to the St. Louis Cardinals for Blake Hawksworth, who is out of options and figures to have the inside track for a spot in the bullpen heading into spring training. The signing of Guerrier gives the Dodgers 41 players on their 40-man roster, meaning they will have to make a corresponding roster move to make room for Guerrier. That move hasn't been announced yet.
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