Twins finalize contract with reliever Zumaya

MINNEAPOLIS — Relief pitcher Joel Zumaya and the Minnesota Twins have finalized their $850,000, one-year contract.

The deal includes $900,000 in performance bonuses for the oft-injured right-hander, who missed all of last season with an elbow injury. He broke a bone in the joint while throwing a pitch for the Tigers against the Twins in June 2010, his last appearance in a major league game.

The 27-year-old hasn’t completed a full season since he was a rookie with Detroit in 2006. But he has 210 strikeouts in 209-plus career innings. If he can stay healthy this spring and still reach the upper 90s with his fastball, Zumaya would give the Twins a much-needed hard thrower in the back of their bullpen.

Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press

Source: http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/7476783/joel-zumaya-minnesota-twins-finalize-contract