Dodgers, Sergio Santos agree to minor league deal

The Dodgers are reportedly close to signing pitcher Sergio Santos to a minor league deal, per Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times. The contract is expected to include incentives, per Ben Nicholson-Smith of SportsNet.

UPDATE: The club made the signing of Santos official on Jan. 8, 2015.

Santos, who was drafted as a shortstop in 2002 by the Diamondbacks out of Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, converted to pitching in 2009 and was in the big leagues by 2010. He saved 30 games in 2011 for the White Sox, and in five MLB seasons with the White Sox and Blue Jays has a 3.89 ERA with 39 saves in 180 relief appearances, with 209 strikeouts and 81 walks in 166⅔ innings.

He missed over five months in 2012 with right shoulder inflammation, then 3½ months in 2013 with a right triceps strain.

The right-handed Santos, 31, imploded in 2014 with Toronto, putting up a 8.57 ERA in 26 games, with 18 walks and 29 strikeouts in 21 innings. His control hit rock bottom on April 17 in the second game of a doubleheader against the Twins. Brought in to face three batters, Santos walked them all and threw three wild pitches, throwing just four of his 16 pitches for strikes.

The Blue Jays declined a $6 million club option on Santos for 2015 on Nov. 1, instead opting to pay him a $750,000 buyout.

Santos has four years, 124 days of service time, so if he finds his way onto the Dodgers' 40-man roster, the club would have control of the right-hander for 2016 as well, through salary arbitration, before he is eligible for free agency.

UPDATE (Jan. 29): Santos will earn a base salary of $1 million if in the majors, per Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times, and can earn up to $3.05 million in performance bonuses:

$150,000 for each of 10 and 15 games
$250,000 for each of 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45 and 50 games
$500,000 for each of 55 and 60 games