Reds sign Jared Hughes to 2-year deal

The Reds have signed reliever Jared Hughes to a two-year deal with a club option for 2020, according to a team announcement. Hughes will receive $4.5 million guaranteed, according to a baseball source, with the third-year option being valued at $3 million with a $250k buyout.

Hughes will receive $2.125 million in each of the next two seasons, with the $250k buyout bringing the total guarantee to $4.5 million. He can earn $750k in performance bonuses in each year of the deal, bringing its total max value to $9.5 million over three years if the option is exercised and all incentives are met.

Hughes, 32, was non-tendered by the Brewers at the beginning of the month. The ground-ball specialist posted a strong 3.02 ERA in 59.2 innings for Milwaukee last year, with numbers strikingly similar to his 2016 season, when he notched a 3.03 ERA in 59.1 innings for Pittsburgh.

Hughes has spent his entire career in the NL Central, posting a career 2.85 ERA in 369 innings with Pittsburgh (2011-16) and Milwaukee (2017). He’ll provide a veteran presence in a Reds bullpen that is slated to include Wandy Peralta, Michael Lorenzen and Raisel Iglesias at the back end and could see more additions before Opening Day.

Hughes’ career 61.2% ground-ball rate has proved effective in the NL Central, and his strikeout numbers improved from 2016 to 2017. After posting a 5.16 K/9 in 2016, he improved to a 7.24 K/9 rate in the same number of innings last year.