TORONTO — The Toronto Blue Jays have avoided arbitration with Frank Francisco, signing the newly-acquired reliever to a one-year, $4 million contract Saturday.

Toronto traded for the 31-year-old right-hander Tuesday, a deal that sent Mike Napoli to Texas.

Francisco, who had 25 saves for the Rangers in 2009, is expected to compete for the closer job in Toronto with fellow newcomers Jon Rauch and Octavio Dotel.

He filed a $4,875,000 arbitration claim while the Rangers countered at $3.5 million. The Blue Jays picked up the negotiations from there.

Francisco, who made $3,265,000 in 2010, posted a 6-4 record with two saves and a 3.76 ERA in 56 relief appearances last season.

In six seasons with the Rangers, Francisco was 17-15 with 32 saves and a 3.75 ERA. He had 315 strikeouts.

TORONTO — The Toronto Blue Jays have avoided arbitration with Frank Francisco, signing the newly-acquired reliever to a one-year, $4 million contract Saturday.

Toronto traded for the 31-year-old right-hander Tuesday, a deal that sent Mike Napoli to Texas.

Francisco, who had 25 saves for the Rangers in 2009, is expected to compete for the closer job in Toronto with fellow newcomers Jon Rauch and Octavio Dotel.

He filed a $4,875,000 arbitration claim while the Rangers countered at $3.5 million. The Blue Jays picked up the negotiations from there.

Francisco, who made $3,265,000 in 2010, posted a 6-4 record with two saves and a 3.76 ERA in 56 relief appearances last season.

In six seasons with the Rangers, Francisco was 17-15 with 32 saves and a 3.75 ERA. He had 315 strikeouts.

TORONTO — The Toronto Blue Jays have avoided arbitration with Frank Francisco, signing the newly-acquired reliever to a one-year, $4 million contract Saturday.

Toronto traded for the 31-year-old right-hander Tuesday, a deal that sent Mike Napoli to Texas.

Francisco, who had 25 saves for the Rangers in 2009, is expected to compete for the closer job in Toronto with fellow newcomers Jon Rauch and Octavio Dotel.

He filed a $4,875,000 arbitration claim while the Rangers countered at $3.5 million. The Blue Jays picked up the negotiations from there.

Francisco, who made $3,265,000 in 2010, posted a 6-4 record with two saves and a 3.76 ERA in 56 relief appearances last season.

In six seasons with the Rangers, Francisco was 17-15 with 32 saves and a 3.75 ERA. He had 315 strikeouts.

TORONTO (AP) — The Toronto Blue Jays have avoided arbitration with Frank Francisco, signing the newly-acquired reliever to a one-year, $4 million contract Saturday.

Toronto traded for the 31-year-old right-hander Tuesday, a deal that sent Mike Napoli to Texas.

Francisco, who had 25 saves for the Rangers in 2009, is expected to compete for the closer job in Toronto with fellow newcomers Jon Rauch and Octavio Dotel.

He filed a $4,875,000 arbitration claim while the Rangers countered at $3.5 million. The Blue Jays picked up the negotiations from there.

Francisco, who made $3,265,000 in 2010, posted a 6-4 record with two saves and a 3.76 ERA in 56 relief appearances last season.

In six seasons with the Rangers, Francisco was 17-15 with 32 saves and a 3.75 ERA. He had 315 strikeouts.

Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Frank Francisco posted a career-high 25 saves in 29 opportunities in 2009 for the Rangers and has struck out 315 batters in 283 1/3 innings pitched in the majors. (Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)

The Toronto Blue Jays have avoided arbitration with Frank Francisco, signing the newly-acquired reliever to a one-year deal worth $4 million US Saturday.

Toronto traded for the 31-year-old right-hander on Tuesday in a deal that sent Mike Napoli to Texas.

Francisco, who saved 25 games for the Rangers in 2009, is expected to compete for the closers job in Toronto with fellow newcomers Jon Rauch and Octavio Dotel.

He filed a $4.875 million arbitration claim while the Rangers countered at $3.5 million. The Blue Jays picked up the negotiations from there.

Francisco, who made $3.265 million in 2010, posted a 6-4 record with two saves and a 3.76 earned-run average in 56 relief appearances last season.

In six seasons with the Rangers, Francisco compiled a 17-15 record with 32 saves and a 3.75 ERA to go along with 315 strikeouts.

TORONTO — The Toronto Blue Jays have avoided arbitration with Frank Francisco, signing the newly-acquired reliever to a one-year, $4 million contract Saturday.

Toronto traded for the 31-year-old right-hander Tuesday, a deal that sent Mike Napoli to Texas.

Francisco, who had 25 saves for the Rangers in 2009, is expected to compete for the closer job in Toronto with fellow newcomers Jon Rauch and Octavio Dotel.

He filed a $4,875,000 arbitration claim while the Rangers countered at $3.5 million. The Blue Jays picked up the negotiations from there.

Francisco, who made $3,265,000 in 2010, posted a 6-4 record with two saves and a 3.76 ERA in 56 relief appearances last season.

In six seasons with the Rangers, Francisco was 17-15 with 32 saves and a 3.75 ERA. He had 315 strikeouts.

TORONTO (AP)—The Toronto Blue Jays have avoided arbitration with Frank Francisco(notes), signing the newly-acquired reliever to a one-year, $4 million contract Saturday.

Toronto traded for the 31-year-old right-hander Tuesday, a deal that sent Mike Napoli(notes) to Texas.

Francisco, who had 25 saves for the Rangers in 2009, is expected to compete for the closer job in Toronto with fellow newcomers Jon Rauch(notes) and Octavio Dotel(notes).

He filed a $4,875,000 arbitration claim while the Rangers countered at $3.5 million. The Blue Jays picked up the negotiations from there.

Francisco, who made $3,265,000 in 2010, posted a 6-4 record with two saves and a 3.76 ERA in 56 relief appearances last season.

In six seasons with the Rangers, Francisco was 17-15 with 32 saves and a 3.75 ERA. He had 315 strikeouts.

The Toronto Blue Jays have agreed to terms with relief pitcher Frank Francisco on a one-year, $4 million contract for the 2011 season.

Toronto, ON (Sports Network) – The Toronto Blue Jays have agreed to terms with relief pitcher Frank Francisco on a one-year, $4 million contract for the 2011 season.

The Blue Jays acquired the right-hander earlier this week in a trade with the Texas Rangers, who received catcher/first baseman Mike Napoli in return.

Francisco went 6-4 with a 3.76 earned-run average and two saves in 56 appearances for the Rangers last season, but missed the final five weeks of the regular season and the entire postseason with a right latissimus dorci muscle strain.

The 31-year-old was Texas’ closer in 2009 and recorded 25 saves.

© 2011 The Sports Network

Frank Francisco.

THE CANADIAN PRESS

TORONTO — The Toronto Blue Jays have avoided arbitration with Frank Francisco, signing the newly-acquired reliever to a one-year deal worth US$4 million Saturday.

Toronto traded for the 31-year-old right-hander on Tuesday in a deal that sent Mike Napoli to Texas.

Francisco, who saved 25 games for the Rangers in 2009, is expected to compete for the closers job in Toronto with fellow newcomers Jon Rauch and Octavio Dotel.

He filed a $4.875 million arbitration claim while the Rangers countered at $3.5 million. The Blue Jays picked up the negotiations from there.

Francisco, who made $3.265 million in 2010, posted a 6-4 record with two saves and a 3.76 earned-run average in 56 relief appearances last season.

In six seasons with the Rangers, Francisco compiled a 17-15 record with 32 saves and a 3.75 ERA to go along with 315 strikeouts.

The Toronto Blue Jays have agreed to terms with pitcher Jason Frasor on a one-year, $3.5 million contract for the 2011 season.

Toronto, ON (Sports Network) – The Toronto Blue Jays have agreed to terms with pitcher Jason Frasor on a one-year, $3.5 million contract for the 2011 season.

The new deal also includes a club option for 2012 worth $3.75 million.

Frasor appeared in 69 games last year for the Blue Jays, posting a 3-4 mark with four saves and a 3.68 earned run average.

The right-handed reliever has appeared in at least 49 games in each of his seven seasons with the Blue Jays, totaling 411 appearances over that span. The 33-year-old veteran owns a career ERA of 3.76 and has recorded 36 saves.

© 2011 The Sports Network

TORONTO (AP) — The Toronto Blue Jays have signed reliever Jason Frasor to a $3.5 million, one-year contract, avoiding arbitration with the right-hander.

The deal announced Friday has a 2012 club option at $3.75 million.

The 33-year-old Frasor went 3-4 with four saves and a 3.68 ERA in 69 games last year. He allowed 61 hits with 27 walks and 65 strikeouts in 62 2-3 innings.

Frasor became a free agent after last season, but accepted Toronto’s offer of arbitration.

In seven seasons with the Blue Jays, he has a record of 22-27 with 36 saves and a 3.76 ERA in 154 relief appearances.

Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Frasor had been seeking $3.725 million while the team offered $3.25 million when figures were exchanged earlier this month, and they settled right at the midpoint for 2011. (Steve Nesius/AP Photo)

The Toronto Blue Jays and reliever Jason Frasor avoided arbitration by agreeing to a US$3.5-million, one-year deal with a club option for 2012 on Friday night.

Frasor had been seeking $3.725 million while the team offered $3.25 million when figures were exchanged earlier this month, and they settled right at the midpoint for 2011.

Blue Jays policy under general manager Alex Anthopoulos is to settle all one-year deals in a hearing room once arbitration figures are exchanged, but the club option worth $3.75 million for 2012 allowed them to get around that.

Home run king Jose Bautista is the team’s sole remaining arbitration-eligible player, and the sides are much further apart on that one.

Bautista asked for $10.5 million while the Blue Jays countered at $7.6 million. The arbitrator must choose one number or the other if they get to a hearing, something the club hasn’t done since going with reliever Bill Risley in 1997.

Frasor, 33, was 3-4 with four saves and a 3.68 ERA in 69 games last season. With seven seasons in Toronto under his belt, he’s now the club’s longest-tenured player.

TORONTO — The Toronto Blue Jays and reliever Jason Frasor avoided arbitration by agreeing to a $3.5-million, one-year deal with a club option for 2012 on Friday night.

Frasor had been seeking $3.725 million while the team offered $3.25 million when figures were exchanged earlier this month, and they settled right at the midpoint for 2011.

Blue Jays policy under general manager Alex Anthopoulos is to settle all one-year deals in a hearing room once arbitration figures are exchanged, but the club option worth $3.75 million for 2012 allowed them to get around that.

Home run king Jose Bautista is the team’s sole remaining arbitration-eligible player, and the sides are much further apart on that one.

Bautista asked for $10.5 million while the Blue Jays countered at $7.6 million. The arbitrator must choose one number or the other if they get to a hearing, something the club hasn’t done since going with reliever Bill Risley in 1997.

Frasor, 33, was 3-4 with four saves and a 3.68 ERA in 69 games last season. With seven seasons in Toronto under his belt, he’s now the club’s longest-tenured player.

The recent additions of right-handers Frank Francisco, Jon Rauch and Octavio Dotel — all up for the closer’s job — seemed to have put Frasor’s role on the team into some question.

Anthopoulos said earlier this week that the team will go with either seven or eight relievers out of camp, meaning Frasor, Shawn Camp, David Purcey, Casey Janssen, Jesse Carlson, Jo-Jo Reyes and others are fighting over four or five spots.

Having Frasor under contract with a club option could potentially make him more attractive to other clubs in need of bullpen help down the road. Relief depth is also very appealing for Anthopoulos and new manager John Farrell.

The bullpen will be especially important for the Blue Jays, who will again feature a young starting rotation with some unproven members.

Ricky Romero, Brandon Morrow and Brett Cecil are expected to fill the front three spots, with rookie phenom Kyle Drabek and Jesse Litsch, who is coming off elbow surgery in 2009 and hip surgery last year, top candidates for the back end.

TORONTO (AP)—The Toronto Blue Jays have signed reliever Jason Frasor(notes) to a $3.5 million, one-year contract, avoiding arbitration with the right-hander.

The deal announced Friday has a 2012 club option at $3.75 million.

The 33-year-old Frasor went 3-4 with four saves and a 3.68 ERA in 69 games last year. He allowed 61 hits with 27 walks and 65 strikeouts in 62 2-3 innings.

Frasor became a free agent after last season, but accepted Toronto’s offer of arbitration.

In seven seasons with the Blue Jays, he has a record of 22-27 with 36 saves and a 3.76 ERA in 154 relief appearances.