BASEBALL ROUNDUP : Tewksbury to Padres, McDowell to Orioles

The San Diego Padres agreed to sign 35-year-old right-hander Bob Tewksbury on Monday for $1,625,000 guaranteed.

Tewksbury will make $1.5 million in 1996. The Padres have an option for 1997 at $1.75 million, or they must pay a $125,000 buyout.

Tewksbury is 85-66 with a 3.72 earned-run average in his 10-year career. He was 8-7 with a 4.58 ERA with Texas in 1995 after six seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals. He tied for the Rangers’ team lead with four complete games and gave up 0.56 home runs per inning, third best in the American League.

He is the major leagues’ active leader in fewest walks allowed per nine innings at 1.39. Bret Saberhagen is second at 1.70.

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Roger McDowell agreed to a $750,000, one-year contract with the Baltimore Orioles, becoming the third pitcher to join the team in less than a week.

McDowell, 34, made 64 relief appearances for the Texas Rangers last season, second in the American League to the Orioles’ Jesse Orosco. He was 7-4 and had a 4.02 ERA.

In 1986, he won a World Series ring on a New York Mets team lead by Davey Johnson, the new Orioles manager. Orosco and Randy Myers, also with Baltimore for next season, were in the Mets’ bullpen.

McDowell can earn up to $175,000 in bonuses.

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The Pittsburgh Pirates, determined to avoid arbitration even if it cost them their top hitter, agreed to a $5.4-million, two-year contract for outfielder-first baseman Orlando Merced. Merced, who had a $2-million salary in 1995, will make $2.7 million in each of the next two years. The left-handed hitting Merced is coming off his best season, batting .300 with 15 homers and 83 RBIs.

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Right-hander Todd Frohwirth, who has a 20-19 career record with 11 saves and a 3.50 ERA in eight major league seasons, has agreed to a minor league contract with the Angels. Frohwirth, 33, was 0-1 with three saves and a 3.34 ERA last season with the Buffalo Bisons, Cleveland’s triple-A affiliate.

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Starter Rich DeLucia agreed to a $1.05-million, two-year contract with San Francisco, and reliever Sergio Valdez agreed to a $200,000, one-year deal with the Giants.

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The Toronto Blue Jays acquired pitcher Bill Risley, a part-time closer last year, and minor league second baseman Miguel Cairo from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for right-handed pitchers Paul Menhart and Edwin Hurtado.

Cairo, 21, began his career in 1990 with the Dodgers before being acquired by Seattle in the trade involving Mike Blowers.

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Catcher Jeff Reed, 33, and the Colorado Rockies agreed to a $425,000, one-year contract with a team option for 1997.

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The Boston Red Sox agreed to a $400,000, one-year contract with left-hander Butch Henry, claimed on waivers from Montreal after the season. Henry underwent tendon transplant surgery on his left elbow Aug. 22. At the time, doctors said he couldn’t pitch until July 1996 at the earliest.