Red Sox defeat Abad in MLB's 1st arbitration case of year

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) The Boston Red Sox have defeated pitcher Fernando Abad in Major League Baseball's first salary arbitration hearing this year.

Abad was awarded $2 million on Tuesday by arbitrators Robert Herzog, Phillip LaPorte and Dennis Archer rather than his $2.7 million request. The panel heard the case a day earlier.

The 31-year-old left-hander was 1-6 with a 3.66 ERA last year in 57 relief appearances for Minnesota and Boston, which acquired him on Aug. 1 for right-hander Pat Light. Abad was 0-2 with a 6.39 ERA in 18 games for the Red Sox.

Abad made $1.3 million last year. He can become a free agent after this season.

Boston's previous hearing was when pitcher Rolando Arrojo was awarded the team's $1.9 million offer in 2002 instead of his $2.8 million request.