Reliever Kevin Jepsen agrees to one-year deal with Twins

Right-hander Kevin Jepsen have avoided salary arbitration by agreeing to a one-year contract worth $5,312,500.

The agreement, announced Friday, gives the pitcher a raise of more than $2 million from his earnings of $3,025,000 last year. The settlement was above the $5,225,000 midpoint between the $5.4 million he had asked for and the $5.05 million Minnesota had offered when the sides exchanged proposed arbitration salaries last week.

Jepsen was acquired last summer from Tampa Bay Rays and had a 1.61 ERA in 29 appearances with the Twins, including 10 saves while closer Glen Perkins was injured. Jepsen pitched in an AL-high 75 games.

Infielder Trevor Plouffe is Minnesota’s last player in arbitration. Minnesota also claimed left-hander Mike Strong off waivers from the Miami Marlins. Strong was a 10th-round draft pick in 2011 by Milwaukee who has a 3.61 ERA in five minor league seasons. Strong went to Stillwater High School in Minnesota, as did Perkins.

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The Minnesota Twins say Hall of Famer Rod Carew is healthy enough to attend the team’s annual fan festival next weekend. Carew had a heart attack in September and is awaiting a heart transplant. But the Twins said Friday that he’s feeling strong enough and has been cleared by doctors to attend TwinsFest. The event begins on Jan. 29 and runs through the weekend. ...

Left-hander Antonio Bastardo and the NL champion New York Mets have completed a $12-million, two-year contract. The 30-year-old Bastardo was 4-1 with a 2.98 ERA and one save in 66 games last season as Pittsbuigh won an NL wild card. He struck out 64 and walked 26 in 57 1-3 innings. ...

Shortstop Alexei Ramirez and the San Diego Padres have finalized a $4-million, one-year contract. The 34-year-old gets a $3 million salary this season under the deal announced Friday, which includes a $4 million mutual option for 2017 with a $1 million buyout. An All-Star in 2014, Ramirez dropped to a .249 average with 10 homers and 62 RBIs last season. He had spent his entire eight-year big league career with the Chicago White Sox, batting .273 with 109 homers and 542 RBIs.