The A's announced that they agreed to a one-year contract with Joey Devine, avoiding arbitration. The 27-year-old right-hander missed each of the last two seasons after undergoing Tommy John surgery last April.
Devine posted a 0.59 ERA with 9.7 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9 in 45 2/3 innings in 2008, when he finished sixth in AL Rookie of the Year balloting. In 65 1/3 career innings, he has a 2.48 ERA with 9.5 K/9 and 5.1 BB/9. He earned $558K in 2010 and is set to earn $560K next year, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle (on Twitter).
The A's now have five remaining arbitration eligible players: Dallas Braden, Craig Breslow, Conor Jackson, Kevin Kouzmanoff and Brad Ziegler.
