Phillies sign RHP Kevin Correia, will start Friday

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Tuesday, June 9, 2015

CINCINNATI -- The Philadelphia Phillies signed right-hander Kevin Correia to a one-year deal on Monday, filling their open rotation spot with a veteran who spent the first two months of the season in the minors.

Correia fills the spot of right-hander Severino Gonzalez, who was sent to Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Sunday. Gonzalez was 2-2 with an 8.69 ERA in five starts.

Correia gets a $650,000 salary while in the major leagues and $150,000 while in the minors. He can earn $400,000 in bonuses based on starts in the majors: $100,000 each for five, 10, 15 and 20.

The 34-year-old pitched for San Francisco's Triple-A team in Sacramento this season, going 0-1 with a 3.58 ERA. He was released on May 29 after exercising an opt-out provision in his contract. The Phillies plan for him to start on Friday in Pittsburgh.

"He knows the league, he knows the hitters," manager Ryne Sandberg said. "Other than that, we'll see when he gets here and then when he pitches on Friday."

Correia has pitched for the Giants, the Padres, the Pirates, the Twins and the Dodgers. Last year, he went 2-4 with an 8.03 ERA in three starts and six relief appearances for the Dodgers.

His best season was in 2009 for the Padres. He threw his only shutout, pitched a career-high 198 innings, and went 12-11 with a 3.91 ERA. He also went 12-11 with the Pirates in 2011, and again for Pittsburgh in 2013. He was 14-26 for the Twins from 2013-14.

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