BOSTON, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- The Boston Red Sox have come to terms with veteran righthander Ramiro Mendoza on a two-year contract.
Mendoza, the 6-2, 195-pounder, was a free agent. He had spent his entire major league career with the New York Yankees. He played for them for seven years.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the Boston Herald reported the deal will pay Mendoza a total of $6.5 million over the next two seasons, after which he will be eligible for free agency .
Mendoza, 30, who can start or relieve, provides Boston with another solid arm. He was 8-4 with a 3.44 ERA and four saves in 62 games for the Yankees in 2002.
"He really fits in perfectly with how we plan to use our bullpen," General Manager Theo Epstein told the paper. "I wouldn't be surprised to see him pitch some of our most critical innings for us."
Boston is set at the front of its rotation with Pedro Martinez, Derek Lowe, and Tim Wakefield, but Mendoza, who has expressed a preference for starting, could serve as the team's fourth or fifth starter.
His value to Boston increased significantly after the Red Sox lost out on prized free agent Jose Contreras. The Yankees signed Contreras and the Red Sox were quick to point out New York's ability to outspend nearly every other team in its quest for talent.
Mendoza, who had arthroscopic surgery on his pitching shoulder in 2000, has won at least seven games in each of the last six seasons, and his 91 2/3 innings out of the bullpen in 2002 were second only to Billy Koch in the AL.
"We did MRIs on his shoulder and elbow and he checked out extremely well," said Epstein. "We have no reservations whatsoever about his health."
Mendoza, a member of four World Series championship teams in New York, has a career record of 54-34 with a 4.08 ERA and 16 saves in 277 appearances.
He will join a revamped bullpen which also added veteran righthanders Mike Timlin and Chad Fox and hard-throwing southpaw Alan Embree.
