Indians sign veteran pitcher Tommy Hunter

CLEVELAND, OH - The Cleveland Indians Friday signed free agent RHP Tommy Hunter to a one-year Major League contract for the 2016 season.

Hunter, 29, owns a career Major League record of 46-33 with a 4.31 ERA in 284 games/75 starts since debuting as a 22-year old with the Texas Rangers in 2008 (676.2IP, 710H, 324ER, 423SO). Following his acquisition by the Baltimore Orioles in July 2011, he has pitched exclusively in a relief over the last three seasons and owns a career relief ERA of 3.28 in 209 outings (241.IP, 223H, 88ER, 187SO, 7.0SO/9.0IP). He recorded a career-high 11 saves for the Orioles in 2014 after opening the season as the club's closer on his way to a season ERA of 2.97.

The Indianapolis native and Alabama alum split the 2015 season between Baltimore and the Chicago Cubs, posting a record of 4-2 with a save and a 4.18 ERA over 58 relief outings (60.1IP, 61H, 28ER, 14BB, 47SO). Over his last 20 outings with Baltimore, from May 30-July 30, he posted an ERA of 2.55 (24.2IP, 18H, 7ER, 19SO) before being hampered by a core-muscle injury with the Cubs, which required off-season surgery that could delay the start of his 2016 campaign. He did record 15 strikeouts in 15.2 innings for the Cubs while walking just 3 hitters during his first tenure in the N.L.

(Cleveland Indians press release)