Indians Add Free Agent Chad Durbin

Veteran free agent reliever Chad Durbin has agreed to a one-year deal with the Cleveland Indians, the team announced early Saturday.

Durbin, who has pitched in 308 major league games across 11 seasons, brings dependability to the 2011 Tribe bullpen. Most recently, the 33-year-old righty pitched the past three years for the Philadelphia Phillies, and despite his October struggles, contributed a 3.62 ERA in an average of 65 relief appearances per season.

He previously pitched in 20 games for the Indians in the 2003-2004 campaigns. He signed as a free agent following the 2002 season, and then split time between Buffalo and Cleveland across those two years. He had mixed results in the big leagues back then – 5-7 with 6.75 ERA in 20 games, 9 starts for the Tribe – but now is a trustworthy arm out of the pen.

According to ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick, the deal is worth a base of $800,000, and could include an additional $1 million in performance-based incentives. Many other teams expressed interest in him this offseason, including his former ball club, but he held out for what will likely be a good stopgap opportunity in his career.

In the potential Tribe bullpen this season, he joins an improving list that also includes closer Chris Perez, left-handers Aaron Laffey, Tony Sipp and Rafael Perez, and additional righty middle relievers Frank Herrmann, Jess Todd, Vinnie Pestano, Jensen Lewis and Joe Smith.

Durbin has by far the most MLB experience among these players, and should become this year’s latest rendition of a Rafael Betancourt or Bob Howry. It’s a solid low-risk and short-term reward gamble for general manager Chris Antonetti and the Indians, just along the same lines as the signing of infielder Orlando Cabrera two weeks ago.

Stay tuned this weekend for more on the WFNY series covering the top pitching prospects in the Indians organization, this time moving on to the relievers.

(Photo above via AP Photo/H. Rumph Jr)