Mariners acquire Vidro in trade with Nationals

SEATTLE -- The Mariners acquired Jose Vidro from the Washington Nationals in a deal finalized Monday, a move Seattle hopes will boost its anemic offense.

Seattle obtained the three-time All-Star along with cash got oft-injured outfielder Chris Snelling and right-hander Emiliano Fruto. The trade was agreed to last week, subject to the players passing physicals.

"Jose is a professional hitter," Mariners general manager Bill Bavasi said. "We feel we can add him to our batting order anywhere from the second- to the sixth-spot and he will add production to our lineup. With the addition of Vidro and Jose Guillen (a free agent signed earlier this month) to our returning players, I think we are a much stronger offensive team."

Vidro had been the longest-tenured players currently with the Expos-Nationals franchise, but has been slowed by leg injuries the past two seasons. He hit .289 with seven homers, 26 doubles and 47 RBIs last season, when he missed 36 games.

He is a career .301 hitter with 115 homers and 550 RBIs in 10 seasons, all in Montreal and Washington.

The switch-hitter is likely to become Seattle's designated hitter. Ben Broussard, a left-handed bat acquired in a trade with Cleveland last year to be the Mariners' DH, hit just .230 against right-handed pitching and just .238 overall after the trade.

Vidro is due $7.5 million next year and $8.5 million in 2008, and trading him fits with the Nationals' plan to lower the age of their roster, Vidro, who waived a no-trade clause, had a 2009 vesting option added to his contract as part of the deal. If the option doesn't become guaranteed, Vidro would receive a $500,000 payment.

Bonderman gets contract

DETROIT -- Pitcher Jeremy Bonderman and the Detroit Tigers agreed Monday to a $38 million, four-year contract.

Bonderman, who would have been eligible for free agency after the 2008 season, gets $4.5 million in 2007, $8.5 million in 2008 and $12.5 million in each of the following two seasons.

The 24-year-old right-hander was 14-8 with a 4.08 ERA and 202 strikeouts in 34 starts last season, when the Tigers finished with their first winning record since 1993 and won their first AL pennant since 1984. Bonderman was 1-0 with a 3.10 ERA in three postseason starts for Detroit, which lost the World Series to St. Louis in five games.

Bonderman is a holdover from the 2003 Tigers team that set an AL record with 119 losses. He went 6-19 that year, his rookie season.

-- The Associated Press