SPORTSBRIEFS

Cruz gets $16 million in 2-year Rangers deal

ARLINGTON, Texas — American League Championship Series MVP Nelson Cruz has agreed to a $ 16 million, two-year contract with the Texas Rangers. The deal includes $500,000 in performance bonuses over the two years. With the agreement, negotiated by agents Sam and Seth Levinson, Cruz avoids an arbitration hearing that had been scheduled for next week. A 31-year-old slugging outfielder, Cruz had asked for $7.5 million in arbitration and the team had offered $5.5 million. He made $3.65 million last year.

CINCINNATI — The Reds have made a couple moves to improve their depth, finalizing a $2.5 million, one-year contract with outfielder Ryan Ludwick and a minor league deal with left-handed starting pitcher Jeff Francis. The 33-year-old Ludwick gets $ 2 million this year, and Wednesday’s deal includes a $5 million mutual option for 2013 with a $500,000 buyout. He can earn $ 500,000 in performance bonuses based on plate appearances: $50,000 each for 250, 300 and 350, $ 100,000 apiece for 400 and 450, and $150,000 for 500. The outfielder batted .237 last season in 139 games with the Padres and Pirates, hitting 13 homers with 75 RBIS.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Royals and outfielder Alex Gordon avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year contract worth $4,775,000. Gordon could earn a $25,000 bonus for getting 700 plate appearances, 12 more than his career high set last year. An arbitration hearing was scheduled for next week. Gordon filed a request for $ 5.45 million, while the team countered with $4.15 million. He made $1.5 million last season.

PHOENIX — Lefthanded reliever Craig Breslow and the Arizona Diamondbacks agreed to a one-year contract worth $ 1,795,000, a deal that avoided salary arbitration. The agreement Thursday was $5,000 below the midpoint between the $2.1 million he had asked for last month and the $1.5 million Arizona had offered. Breslow was acquired from Oakland with right-hander Trevor Cahill in a Dec. 9 trade.