Los Angeles Angels, Jerome Williams avoid arbitration

The Los Angeles Angels and pitcher Jerome Williams avoided arbitration and agreed to a one-year deal worth $2 million, reports Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com. The right-hander figures to be the club's long releiver in 2013.

Williams, 31, went 6-8 with a 4.58 ERA over 137 ⅔ innings last season. He appeared in 32 games and started 15 of them. The Angels are slated to begin the year with Jered Weaver, C.J. Wilson, Jason Vargas, Tommy Hanson and Joe Blanton in the rotation. Williams gives the club insurance.

For his career, Williams is 33-37 with a 4.29 ERA in seven big league seasons. He began his career in 2003 with the Giants before getting dealt to the Cubs in 2005. After spending 2007 with the Nationals, Williams didn't reappear in the majors until 2011 when he caught on with the Angels. Williams remains under team control until after the 2014 season.

The Angels now have four remaining arbitration eligible players in Alberto Callaspo, Kevin Jepsen, Vargas and Hanson.