Rays re-sign Joel Peralta to one-year contract

The Tampa Bay Rays have re-signed right-handed pitcher Joel Peralta to a one-year major league contract, avoiding arbitration.

Peralta, 35, went 3-4 with a 2.93 ERA (67.2-IP, 22-ER) in 2011 and tied for second among American League relievers with 71 appearances, the fifth-highest single-season total in Rays history.  The relief pitcher recorded a career-high six saves, four of which came in September while Kyle Farnsworth was out with elbow tenderness.  He held first batters faced to a .072 (5-for-69) batting average, the best mark in the majors.  He also held left-handed batters to a .155 (17-for-110) average, the second-lowest mark among major league relievers (min. 100 AB) in 2011 and lowest single-season mark in Rays history (min. 100 AB). 

The righthander has spent parts of seven seasons in the majors.  He has also pitched for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (2005), Kansas City Royals (2006-08), Colorado Rockies (2009) and Washington Nationals (2010), compiling a career 3.99 ERA.  He began his career as an outfielder in the Oakland Athletics system in 1997 and converted to a pitcher in 1999 with the Angels.