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Giants, Tony Watson agree to reported 2-year, $9M contract

Tom Pennington / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Amid a historically slow offseason for the majority of Major League Baseball, the San Francisco Giants continue to be one of the few busy and productive clubs.

The Giants have come to terms on a deal with left-handed reliever Tony Watson, the team announced Monday.

The contract - which runs for two years with an option for 2020 - reportedly guarantees Watson will earn at least $9 million over its duration, though he could see that grow to $14 million over two seasons or $21 million over three with performance bonuses in place, according to ESPN's Jerry Crasnick.

Watson, a veteran left-hander who was among the most coveted bullpen arms in this year's free-agent class, provides a much-needed upgrade to the Giants' relief staff. that includes an option for the 2020 season, according to Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area. The contract is reportedly structured in a way that keeps the Giants under the $197-million luxury-tax threshold.

The 32-year-old enjoyed a successful stay with the Pittsburgh Pirates to begin his big-league career, fashioning a 2.68 ERA (144 ERA+) over six-plus seasons and earning an All-Star appearance in a particularly strong 2014 campaign.

He'd continue his reliable work out of the bullpen after a deadline deal sent him to the Los Angeles Dodgers last summer, doing his part during a run to the World Series by holding opposing batters to a mere .200 average across 11 postseason appearances.

Joining Evan Longoria and Andrew McCutchen, who were both acquired in a pair of blockbuster trades, Watson is the third marquee addition to the Giants' roster this winter.

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