NEW YORK (AP) - Reliever Brian Bruney and the New York Yankees agreed Friday to a $1.25 million, one-year contract, settling the team's last salary arbitration case.
The deal raised New York's projected opening-day payroll just above $198 million for 18 players with agreements. The Yankees still must negotiate with Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes and others who didn't have enough service time to be eligible for arbitration.When they exchanged arbitration figures last week, Bruney asked for a raise from $725,000 to $1.55 million, and the Yankees offered $1.1 million.
The 26-year-old right-hander was 3-0 with a 1.73 ERA and one save in 31 relief appearances and one start last year. He was sidelined from April 25 to Aug. 1 with an injured right foot.
Bruney, projected to be the Yankees' primary setup reliever for Mariano Rivera, held opponents to a .153 batting average, the fifth-lowest in the major leagues among pitchers with 30 or more innings.
