Blue Jays sign reliever Seung-Hwan Oh, aka 'The Final Boss,' to 1-year deal

Free agent reliever Seung-Hwan Oh and the Toronto Blue Jays have finalized a one-year contract with a 2018 salary of $1.75 million US.

Toronto Blue Jays manager John Gibbons expects the 35-year-old right-hander to pitch valuable innings.

"I've heard nothing but great things," Gibbons said Tuesday. "I've seen him a couple times on TV and really liked what I saw when he was pitching key roles for the Cardinals."

The deal announced Monday includes a $2.5 million team option for 2019 that could become guaranteed based on appearances.

Oh could make $500,000 in performance bonuses based on pitching appearances: $125,000 each for 40, 50, 60 and 70. He also could make $1 million in bonuses for games finished: $125,000 apiece for 25, 30, 35 and 40m and $250,000 each for 45 and 50.

Oh was 1-6 with a 4.10 ERA and 20 saves in 24 chances last year for the St. Louis Cardinals. He was 6-3 with a 1.92 ERA and 19 in 23 chances for the Cardinals in 2016.

"No big problem, really," Oh said through a translator. "Some things didn't work out last season. It was just one of those seasons that I had a bad year, so I'll make it up this year."

Oh, formerly a star closer in Japan and Korea, is known as "The Final Boss."

He figures to be a setup man for Blue Jays closer Roberto Osuna.

"They've been throwing his name around for a while, his and many other guys, and then things just kind of fell in place," Gibbons said. "I knew he had signed with Texas [recently] and that fell through, and then we signed him."

Oh said the Blue Jays' quick completion of the process has motivated him.

Toronto cleared a roster spot by designating outfielder Ezequiel Carrera for assignment.