Red Sox agree with RHP Papelbon

Jan 20, 2009 - 8:26 PM BOSTON (Ticker) -- The Boston Red Sox on Tuesday agreed to terms with closer Jonathan Papelbon on a one-year contract, thereby avoiding arbitration.

Terms were not disclosed, but si.com reported the deal is worth $6.25 million. That number would be a record for an arbitration-eligible relief pitcher.

A three-time All-Star, Papelbon went 5-4 with a 2.34 ERA with 41 saves last season - the third-most in the American League.

The 28-year-old is one of four pitchers to record 30 or more saves in at least each of his first three full seasons, joining Billy Koch (4), Kazuhiro Sasaki (3) and Todd Worrell (3).

Papelbon's 113 career saves are the third-highest total in the majors from 2006-08.

A fourth-round pick in 2003, Papelbon is 13-10 in 202 games over four seasons with Boston. His 1.84 ERA is the second-lowest in major league history since 1900 - behind Ed Walsh (1.82) - among pitchers with at least 200.0 innings.

The Red Sox also avoided arbitration with lefthanded reliever Javier Lopez. Lopez went 2-0 with a 2.43 ERA last season.