PHOENIX (AP) - The Arizona Diamondbacks exercised the 2010 contract option on reliever Jon Rauch on Friday.
The 6-foot-11 right-hander will make $2.9 million in 2010. The Diamondbacks would have had to pay $100,000 to buy out the contract.The Diamondbacks could have declined Rauch's option for 2010 and still controlled his rights, but he would have been eligible for salary arbitration.
Rauch was 4-8 with a 4.14 ERA and a career-high 18 saves in 74 appearances with the Washington Nationals and Diamondbacks last season. He was 0-6 with a 6.56 ERA in 26 games after he came to Arizona in a trade for infielder Emilio Bonafacio on July 22.
Rauch has a 24-23 career record with a 3.83 ERA in 281 games with the Chicago White Sox, Montreal-Washington and Arizona over parts of five seasons.
