The Philadelphia Phillies have made the signing of veteran pitcher Dontrelle Willis official today (via Philly.com) after the 29-year-old left-hander passed his physical. The Phillies signed Willis to a one-year deal. Willis will be a reliever for Philadelphia this season.
Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro said about Willis:
"Dontrelle, I believe, is at a point in his career where he is ready to make the transition to being an effective reliever," general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said in a statement. "Because of his experience, past success and overall positive energy, we feel this will be an opportunity to benefit both him and the team, especially with the success he has had against left-handed hitters, both recently and over the course of his career."
In 2010 as a starter for the Cincinnati Reds, Willis was 1-6 with a 5.00 ERA in 13 starts. However, Willis held left-handed hitters to a .127 batting average (7-55) with a mere two extra-base hits.
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