TORONTO (AP) -Left-hander Scott Downs agreed Thursday to a $10 million, three-year contract with the Toronto Blue Jays after a breakout season in which he had a 2.17 ERA.
Downs went 4-2 in 81 relief appearances, tied for the AL lead. He struck out 57 in 58 innings and walked just 24.
Downs gets $2.25 million this year, $3.75 million next year and $4 million in 2010. He made $1.05 million last season.
Toronto also agreed to a $2.65 million, two-year contract with infielder Marco Scutaro and one-year contracts with right-hander Jason Frasor ($1,125,000), and left-handers Gustavo Chacin ($725,000) and Brian Tallet ($640,000).
Outfielder Alex Rios is Toronto’s last remaining player in arbitration.
Scutaro gets $1.55 million this season, matching his base salary last year, and $1.1 million in 2009. The 32-year-old Scutaro, acquired in November from Oakland, filled in for both second baseman Mark Ellis and shortstop Bobby Crosby when they were hurt in recent seasons.
Scutaro hit .260 last year with seven home runs and 41 RBIs in 104 games. He made 86 starts at five positions, including 38 at shortstop, 33 at third base, 12 at second base, two in right field and one in left field.
He can earn a $25,000 bonus for 400 plate appearances this year and $400,000 in performance bonuses in 2009: $100,000 each for 400, 425, 450 and 475 plate appearances.
Frasor, who got a raise of $300,000, was 1-5 with a 4.58 ERA in 51 relief appearances. He struck out 59 in 57 innings and walked 23 and served as closer for a time in April after B.J. Ryan went on the disabled list. Jeremy Accardo wound up filling the closer’s role, and Frasor finished the season with three saves.
Chacin went 2-1 with a 5.60 ERA in five starts last year but did not pitch after April 28 because of a strained left shoulder. He had season-ending surgery in August to repair a small tear in his rotator cuff.
In 2006, Chacin was limited to 17 starts because of an elbow strain.
Chacin is the only left-handed starter on Toronto’s roster. The rest of the projected rotation includes right-handers Roy Halladay, A.J. Burnett, Shaun Marcum, Dustin McGowan and Jesse Litsch.
Tallet appeared in a career-high 48 games for Toronto in 2007, going 2-4 with a 3.47 ERA. He struck out 54 and walked 28.
Teams and players exchange figures Friday.
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