SAN DIEGO (AP) - Free agent shortstop Alexei Ramirez has agreed to a one-year contract with the San Diego Padres, pending a physical.
Also on Thursday, the Padres signed free agent pitcher Carlos Villanueva to a $1.5 million, one-year deal. The team avoided salary arbitration with catcher Derek Norris and left-hander Drew Pomeranz.
Norris, an All-Star in 2014 with Oakland, agreed to a $2,925,000 contract. Pomeranz, who made $517,500 last year with the Athletics, got a $1.35 million deal.
The 34-year-old Ramirez had spent his entire eight-year career with the Chicago White Sox.
Upgrading at shortstop was one of San Diego's top offseason needs.