Indians To Sign Boone Logan To One-Year, $5.5 Million Deal

The Cleveland Indians agreed to sign left-handed relief pitcher Boone Logan on Thursday. 

Logan and the Indians reached a one-year, $5.5 million deal with a club option for 2018. The option is valued at $7 million with a $1 million buyout. At a minimum, Logan will earn a guaranteed $6.5 million. 

The Indians have recognized that this is their chance to win the World Series, coming off an AL pennant run in 2016. Logan is the second big addition for them this offseason, with the first coming in the form of slugging first baseman Edwin Encarnacion. 

---

Logan joins the Indians following three seasons pitching in Colorado with the Rockies. 

In 2016, he pitched 46 1/3 innings out of their bullpen, posting a 3.69 ERA and a 57-20 strikeout-to-walk ratio. According to FanGraphs, he was worth 0.8 wins above replacement (fWAR). 

The 32-year-old's biggest strength comes against left-handed hitters, who he held to a .139/.222/.255 slash line over 119 plate appearances in 2016. 

With the signing, the Indians appeared to fill a need for another left-handed relief pitcher. The team does have a southpaw in relief ace Andrew Miller, but their only other lefty option in 2017 was projected to be Hoby Milner, a Rule 5 draft selection who may not even make the team out of Spring Training. 

Cleveland is coming off of a season with one of the best bullpens in Major League Baseball, posting a 5.0 fWAR and a 3.45 ERA, ranking 7th and 4th in the league, respectively. 

Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports was the first to report Logan's signing with the Indians, and Paul Hoynes of the Plain Dealer reported contract details. 

--Devan Fink