Orioles sign RHP Baez to three-year contract

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The Baltimore Orioles have made their shaky bullpen an offseason priority. Righthander Danys Baez, who has 111 career saves, signed a three-year contract with the Orioles on Monday. The Baltimore Sun is reporting that the deal is worth $19 million. Last week, the Orioles signed lefthanded reliever Jamie Walker to a three-year contract worth $11.5 million. Baltimore's bullpen posted a 5.25 ERA - the second-worst mark in the majors - last season. "Danys gives us a strong right arm to add to our bullpen," Orioles vice president of operations Mike Flanagan said. "We've said the bullpen was a target area for us, and this signing and last week's addition of Jamie Walker have greatly improved our ability to hold leads and get to our closer." Baez, 29, will serve as a setup man to closer Chris Ray, who had 33 saves last season. Baez was an All-Star for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 2005, recording 41 saves with a 2.86 ERA. But last season, Baez was 5-6 with nine saves and a 4.53 ERA with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves. He struggled with the Dodgers, managing just nine saves in 16 chances before being traded to the Braves in late July. Baez went 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA in 11 games with Atlanta before undergoing an emergency appendectomy in late August.