CLEVELAND — Reliever Paul Sewald and the Cleveland Guardians agreed to a one-year, $7 million contract, adding a setup arm for closer Emmanuel Clase.
An eight-year veteran, Sewald is a 34-year-old right-hander who has 84 saves during an eight-year big league career.
He gets a $1 million signing bonus and a $5 million salary this year, when he could earn $500,000 in performance bonuses for relief appearances: $100,000 each for 40 and each additional five through 60. The deal includes a $10 million mutual option for 2026 with a $1 million buyout.
Cleveland designated right-hander Pedro Avila for assignment to open a roster spot and also agreed to a minor league contract with right-hander Riley Pint.
Sewald had a 4.31 ERA last year with 16 saves for Arizona, losing his closer’s job at the start of August. He didn’t make his season debut until May 7 due to a strained left oblique and didn’t pitch after Sept. 8 due to discomfort on the left side of his neck. His fastball average velocity dropped to 91.4 mph from 92.2 mph.
Sewald is 20-25 with a 4.09 ERA for the New York Mets (2017-20), Seattle (2021-23) and Arizona (2023-24). He had a $7.35 million, one-year contract with the Diamondbacks last season.
Avila went 5-1 with a 3.25 ERA in 50 games for the Guardians, who acquired him in a trade last April from San Diego. The right-hander became an invaluable member of Cleveland’s top bullpen as he provided long relief for first-year manager Stephen Vogt. He’s the third reliever to leave the AL Central champions this winter, following Eli Morgan and Nick Sandlin, who were both traded.
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