Report: Indians, Clippard agree to minor-league deal
The Cleveland Indians agreed to a minor-league contract with reliever Tyler Clippard on Wednesday, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports.
Clippard will earn $1.75 million if he cracks the team and can make another $1 million in incentives, Heyman adds.
The 34-year-old spent last season with the Toronto Blue Jays. After making the team out of spring training he turned in a solid season, posting a 3.67 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 11.1 strikeouts per nine innings, and seven saves over 73 appearances.
He'll likely compete for a spot in the middle of a weakened Indians bullpen. The AL Central champions lost two important relievers - longtime closer Cody Allen and All-Star southpaw Andrew Miller - over the winter.
Clippard, who was an All-Star with the Washington Nationals in 2011 and 2014, owns a career 3.16 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 841 strikeouts, and 68 saves over 12 big-league seasons with eight teams.