The Indians, already boasting one of the most reliable bullpens in baseball, added to it Thursday with Boone Logan. The veteran lefty agreed to terms on a one-year contract with a club option for a second year, pending a physical, MLB.com has learned.
MLB Network insider Ken Rosenthal first reported the agreement. The club has not announced the deal.
The 32-year-old Logan becomes a second lefty for manager Terry Francona, but he'll be used in a different fashion than workhorse southpaw Andrew Miller. Logan is a more traditional lefty reliever, notoriously tough on left-handed batters. They hit just .142 (15-for-106) with 40 strikeouts against him last year with Colorado, where he spent the past three seasons.
Right-handed batters didn't fare much better off him, batting just .211 (12-for-57), but in far fewer at-bats. Add up the matchups, and Logan went 2-3 with a 3.69 ERA, one save and 27 holds, allowing just 27 hits over 46 1/3 innings with 20 walks and 57 strikeouts.
Francona hinted at such an addition during TribeFest last month, hoping to ease Miller's workload.
"Having a second lefty would be great," Francona told reporters, "but it also has to be a guy that can do what's asked when asked. In a perfect world, you have one, because then you potentially let Andrew not get up as much."
Logan, an 11-year Major League veteran, began his career in the American League Central, spending three seasons in the White Sox bullpen. He returns to a division with different left-handed hitters to confront, including Royals sluggers Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas and Alex Gordon, along with familiar Twins star Joe Mauer.