Red Sox sign Craig Breslow for two years, avoid arbitration

The Boston Red Sox have come to terms with their final arbitration-eligible player, signing reliever Craig Breslow to a two year/$6.25M extension with a $4.1M option for 2015, according to Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports.

The lefty was acquired by the Red Sox from the Diamondbacks at the trade deadline last season. He threw 20 in 23 appearances innings for Boston last season, with a 2.70 ERA, working primarily as a left-handed specialist. The 32 year old has a career 3.00 ERA in 342 innings. He rejoins fellow lefties Andrew Miller and Franklin Morales in a Red Sox bullpen that is well stocked with left-handed pitching. Of the six relievers on the Red Sox that were arbitration eligible, Breslow, who was in his final arbitration-eligible season, will receive the second highest salary, behind closer Joel Hanarahan, who signed for one year and $7.04M.

This signing will keep Boston’s streak of 10 years without going to arbitration with a player alive. Under former-GM Theo Epstein and now under Ben Cherington, the Red Sox have been loath to argue against the merits of their own players in arbitration. Boston had eight players eligible for arbitration this off-season, but they were once again able to keep away from the hearing. Last season, the team came close to having the arbiter decide David Ortiz’s salary, but the two sides agreed to the precise mid-point between the two filings just before the meeting.