Red Sox sign Koji Uehara

The Boston Red Sox have signed free agent right-hander Koji Uehara to a one-year contract, reports Gerry Fraley of The Dallas Morning News:

Free agent right-hander Koji Uehara spurned the Texas Rangers on Thursday and agreed to a one-year deal with Boston on Thursday. The contract is contingent on a Uehara passing a physical.

Fraley points out that Uehara is the second member of the 2012 Rangers’ team to sign with the Red Sox this offseason, as catcher/first baseman Mike Napoli also reached an agreement with Boston.

Uehara was a starter when he made the jump from Japan to Major League Baseball, but he was quickly converted to a late-inning reliever with the Baltimore Orioles. The right-hander proved extremely effective out of the bullpen, posting an ERA of 2.86 with 13 saves in 2010.

Uehara was even better to start the 2011 campaign, as he maintained an ERA of 1.72 with 62 strikeouts and eight walks over 47 innings pitched with Baltimore. The Orioles then traded him to the Rangers in exchange for Chris Davis and Tommy Hunter.

Since joining the Rangers Uehara has posted an ERA of 2.50, including a mark of 1.75 with 43 strikeouts and three walks over 36 innings last season.