CLEVELAND (AP) -- With at least one spot open in his rotation, new Indians manager Terry Francona will give a pitcher he knows well a shot to win a starting job.
Japanese right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka has agreed to a minor league contract with Cleveland. Matsuzaka, who pitched for Francona with the Boston Red Sox, must pass a physical for the deal to be finalized.
The Indians' pitchers and catchers reported to camp in Goodyear, Ariz. on Sunday, with physicals scheduled to take place Monday.
The 32-year-old Matsuzaka would get a $1.5 million, one-year contract if added to the 40-man roster and would be able to earn $2.5 million in performance bonuses based on innings and starts.
He has won 50 major league games since signing a $52 million, six-year contract with Boston as free agent in 2007. Dice-K went 33-15 with a 3.72 ERA in 61 starts for Boston in 2007-08. However, he has been limited to 18 starts and 83 innings the last two seasons after right elbow su
gery in 2011.
Justin Masterson, Ubaldo Jimenez and Brett Myers are the only pitchers with guaranteed spots in Cleveland's rotation. Zach McAllister comes to camp favored to win the No. 4 spot, leaving Matsuzaka in a group with Scott Kazmir, Trevor Bauer, Carlos Carrasco, Corey Kluber and David Huff fighting it out this spring.
Matsuzaka pitched in Japan from 1999-2006, going 108-60 with a 2.95 ERA for the Seibu Lions. The Red Sox won a bidding war over several teams to sign him and he went 15-12 in 32 starts in his first season in the AL.
He was dominant in 2008, going 18-3 with a 2.90 ERA and recording 154 strikeouts in 1672⁄3 innings. He finished fourth in voting for the AL Cy Young Award.
But Matsuzaka's numbers have dropped alarmingly in the past four years. He has gone 17-22 with a 5.53 ERA and underwent Tommy John reconstructive elbow surgery in June 2011. He began last year in the minors before joining the Red Sox and going 1-7 with an 8.28 in 11 starts.
If added to the big league roster, he would be able to earn $700,000 based on innings -- $100,000 each for 50, 75, 100, 120, 140, 150 and 160 -- and $1.8 million based on starts -- $200,000 apiece for eight, 10, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27 and 30.
Indians sign Giambi
CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Indians signed first baseman-designated hitter Jason Giambi to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training.
The Indians announced the signing Saturday, six days ahead of the team's first full-squad workout. The 42-year-old Giambi spent the past three-plus seasons filling a part-time role with the Rockies. The 2000 AL MVP was a mentor to younger players and he interviewed for Colorado's managerial position this offseason.
Galarraga joins Reds
CINCINNATI -- Pitcher Armando Galarraga has agreed to a minor league contract with the Cincinnati Reds and will try to win a job at spring training.
The 31-year-old right-hander was 0-4 with a 6.75 ERA in five starts last year with the Houston Astros. When he pitched for Houston on July 28, it was his first major league appearance since May 16, 2011, for Arizona.
Galarraga has a 26-34 record with a 4.78 ERA in 91 starts and nine relief appearances over six big league seasons that also included stops in Texas and Detroit.
He lost a perfect game on June 2, 2010, while pitching for Detroit when first base umpire Jim Joyce called Cleveland's Jason Donald safe on what replays showed should have been the final out of the game. Joyce admitted after the game that his call was incorrect.
Cubs finalize contract with Hairston
MESA, Ariz. -- Outfielder Scott Hairston and the Chicago Cubs have finalized a two-year contract.
The 32-year-old Hairston hit .263 with a career-high 20 homers, 57 RBIs and 25 doubles last year in his second season with the New York Mets.
He also has played for Arizona (2004-07), San Diego (2007-09, 2010) and Oakland (2009) during a nine-year big league career. Hairston has a .247 career average with 95 homers and 279 RBIs.
Liriano agrees to contract
PITTSBURGH -- Left-hander Francisco Liriano is guaranteed $1 million under his contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates and can earn up to $13.75 million plus award bonuses over two years if he pitches regularly and an injury to his non-throwing arm doesn't land him on the disabled list.
Liriano and the Pirates agreed in December to a two-year contract pending a physical but he injured his right arm during the holidays and it took until Friday to finalize the reworked agreement. He can make $5.25 million this year and $8.5 million in 2014 if he pitches 200 innings a season.
Liriano has $3.75 million in available roster bonuses this year under the deal based on days on the active big league roster or the disabled list, not including days on the DL as the result of the pre-existing injury to his right arm. He would get $250,000 each for 60 and 75 days, $750,000 apiece for 90, 120, 150 and 180 days and $125,000 each for 135 and 165 days.
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