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Valverde, Astros agree on $8M, 1 year (AP) (sports.yahoo.com)

Closer Jose Valverde and the Houston Astros avoided salary arbitration when they agreed Monday to an $8 million, one-year contract. The 30-year-old right-hander, who can become a free agent after next season, led the NL with 44 saves last season. In his first year with Houston after five seasons with Arizona, Valverde went 6-3 with a 3.38 ERA in a career-high 74 appearances.