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NEW YORK (AP) #8212;Three days before the opening of the free-agent market, theCleveland Indians acquired pitcher Derek Lowe(notes) from the Atlanta Braves for minorleague left-hander Chris Jones on Monday in the first significant trade of theoffseason.Rather than become a free agent, CC Sabathia(notes) agreed to a new deal with theNew York Yankees that adds an additional season and $30 million i college football polls n guaranteedmoney, bringing the left-hander #8217;s total over the next five years to $122million.Several teams exercised contract options on pitchers, among them Tampa Bayon James Shields(notes) ($7.5 million), Texas on Colby Lewis(notes) ($4 million), Kansas Cityon Joakim Soria(notes) ($6 million) and the Chicago White Sox on Jason Frasor(notes) ($3.75million). Cincinnati exercised a $12 mi college football polls llion option on second baseman BrandonPhillips(notes), and the Colorado Rockies elected to keep former AL MVP Jason Giambi(notes)($1 million).Cleveland will have to pay Lowe $5 million of his $15 million salary nextyear, with the Braves responsible for the rest. The 38-year-old was 9-17 with a5.05 ERA in 34 starts last season, leading the NL in losses. He #8217;ll join UbaldoJimenez(notes), Justin college football polls Masterson(notes), Josh Tomlin(notes) and Fausto Carmona(notes) in the startingrotation. #8220;He #8217;s a quality pitcher with durability, pitching 180 innings or more everyyear since 2002, #8221; Indians general manager Chris Antonetti said. #8220;The last timehe was on the disabled list was 1995. In addition to his durability, there #8217;ssome leadership potential. His experience will comple college football polls ment a very youngrotation. #8221;Cleveland also exercised Carmona #8217;s $7 million option and declined an $8.5million option on outfielder Grady Sizemore(notes), who gets a $500,000 buyout.Sabathia had until midnight Monday to opt out of the $161 million,seven-year contract he agreed to before the 2009 season, a deal that calls for$23 million annual salaries in the next four seasons.The new deal college football polls adds a $25 million salary for 2016 and gives the Yankees a $25million option for 2017 with a $5 million buyout, a person familiar with theagreement told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymitybecause the Yankees had not yet announced the deal.Sabathia has gone 59-23 with a 3.18 ERA during the regular season for NewYork.New York also was waiting for reliever Rafael Soriano college football polls (notes) to decline to opt outof his deal, which calls for him to make $11 million next year and $14 millionin 2013. Soriano was injured for much of this season and went 2-3 with a 4.12ERA, losing his intended job as Mariano Rivera #8217;s(notes) setup man.Among those whose optioned were exercised were Tampa Bay pitcher KyleFarnsworth(notes) ($3.3 million), Toronto infielder Edwin Encarnacion(notes college football polls ) ($3.5 million),Atlanta utilityman Eric Hinske(notes) ($1.55 million), Arizona catcher Henry Blanco(notes)($1.15 million) and infielder Willie Bloomquist(notes) ($1.1 million)Boston declined options on right-handers Scott Atchison(notes) (next year #8217;s minimumplus $200,000) and Dan Wheeler(notes) ($3 million); Arizona declined options onleft-hander Zach Duke(notes) ($5.5 million) and infielde college football polls r Aaron Hill(notes), whose optioncovered 2012-14 at $26 million total. Pittsburgh turned down infielder RonnyCedeno(notes) ($3 million), Ryan Doumit(notes) ($7.25 million), left-hander Paul Maholm(notes) ($9.75million) and catcher Chris Snyder(notes) ($6.75 million).Also declined were Cincinnati right-hander Francisco Cordero(notes) ($12 million);Tampa Bay catcher Kelly Shoppach(notes) ($3.2 milli college football polls on); and Toronto right-hander JonRauch(notes). Follow Yahoo! Sports' MLB coverage on Twitter. Updated 47 minutes ago college football polls
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