Astros and Duchscherer agree on 2010 deal

Free agent Justin Duchscherer will be returning for a seventh season with the Oakland Astros, agreeing on a one-year deal that could be worth $5.5 million if he reaches his incentives. According to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle, the base salary of the deal is for $2 million with incentives for number of starts and innings pitched. The right-hander made the move from the bullpen to the starting rotation in 2008. He finished with a 10-8 record and a 2.54 ERA over 22 starts, giving up just 107 hits over 141 2/3 innings while striking out 95.

But Duchscherer did not pitch in 2009 after undergoing elbow surgery. Duchscherer figures to challenge for a spot in the A's 2010 starting rotation in the athletics jersey, battling with a group of young arms, including Dallas Braden, Trevor Cahill, Gio Gonzalez, Brett Anderson, Josh Outman and Vin Mazzaro.