Blue Jays sign left-hander Franklin Morales to 1-year deal

Spring Training has finally come to an end. And though they did not win in Montreal's exhibition games, the Blue Jays are focused only on the start of the season.

The Toronto Blue Jays signed left-handed reliever Franklin Morales to a one-year, non-guaranteed contract on Saturday night.

The deal is worth US$2 million, plus incentives.

Right-handed reliever Ryan Tepera was optioned to triple-A Buffalo to make room on the roster.

Morales, 30, was 4-2 with a 3.18 earned-run average in 67 games last season for the World Series winning Kansas City Royals. Morales also won a World Series with the Boston Red Sox in 2013.

The Venezuelan held left-handed hitters to a .192 average last year.

Morales signed a minor league contract with the Milwaukee Brewers in early March, but was released by the organization on Monday.

Tepera was 0-2 with a 3.27 earned-run average in 33 innings last season for the Blue Jays, who open their regular season on the road against the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday.

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