The Minnesota Twins on Friday made their
one-year contract with Jim Thome official, after the veteran slugger passed a
physical.
The deal is worth $1.5 million with up to $750,000 in incentives.
Thome will likely fill a bench role, as Jason Kubel, also a left-handed
hitter, was primarily a designated hitter last season.
Sitting at No. 12 on the career home run leaders list with 564, Thome is just
five back of Rafael Palmeiro and nine behind former Twins great Harmon
Killebrew.
Thome spent most of last season with the White Sox before being traded to the
Dodgers in a waiver deadline deal in September. In 124 games between the
clubs, he batted .249 with a .366 on-base percentage, 23 homers and 77 RBI.
Since coming into the majors in 1991 with Cleveland, he is a career .277
hitter with a .404 OBP, 1,565 RBI and has eclipsed the 40-home run mark six
times, including a career-high 52 with Cleveland in 2002.
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