Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Brett Cecil takes his warmup pitches prior to Spring Training action against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Dunedin, Fla. on Saturday March 3 2012.Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press
The Toronto Blue Jays have avoided arbitration with one of the bullpen mainstays when they came to terms on Thursday on a one-year, $2.5-million contract with left-handed pitcher Brett Cecil.
The 28-year-old was 2-3 in 2014 with five saves and a 2.70 earned run average in 66 appearances with the Major League Baseball team.
The Blue Jays also announced that they have signed veteran outfielder Andy Dirks to a minor league contract with an invite to spring training.
Dirks, 28, was initially claimed off waivers by Toronto from the Detroit Tigers in late October but the Blue Jays then declined to tender him a contract offer, which made him a free agent.
Dirks spent the entire 2014 season on the disabled list for the Tigers with back issues but in 2013 was an everyday outfielder with Detroit, playing in 131 games, hitting .256 with a .323 on base percentage.