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This is something we told you yesterday might happen, as the Mariners were said to be negotiating with one of their pending free agents. Oliver Perez has been re-signed to a one-year deal, worth a reported $1.5 million with an additional $600,000 in performance bonuses, giving the Mariners a valuable veteran bullpen piece from the left side.
Perez, 31, would likely have attracted considerable attention on the free agent market, given his returned velocity, which we wrote about back in September. He posted a 2.12 ERA in 33 relief outings for the Mariners last season in a comeback off the scrap heap.
It was the ninth lowest ERA by an AL reliever with at least 30 outings.
Jon Heyman of CBC Sports.com was the first to report the contract details.
Photo Credit: AP

Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik said in a release he was happy to reach a mutual agreement with Perez.
“He did a very nice job in helping solidify our bullpen after his call-up last summer,” Zduriencik said. “As a veteran left-hander and one that had adjusted very nicely to his new role, we are looking forward to his contributions as we go into the 2013 campaign.”
The Mariners are poised to enter 2013 with a slew of younger bullpen arms, fronted by closer Tom Wilhelmsen. But the senior members of that crew, as of right now, are Shawn Kelley, who broke into the majors in 2009, and journeyman Josh Kinney.
Perez was a starter in the majors for several seasons befre shifting full-time to bullpen work with the Mariners. He told me in September that he enjoys relief work, given how it gets him into more frequent game action in which he can keep his velocity up.