First baseman Lyle Overbay signed a US$24-million, four-year contract with the Toronto Blue Jays, a team official said Sunday.
Overbay hit .312 with 22 home runs, a team-high 46 doubles and 92 RBIs with Toronto last season after being acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers.
The team official spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal was not announced.
Overbay avoided arbitration with the deal. He would have been eligible for free agency after the 2008 season.
The left-handed hitter leads the majors with a total of 133 doubles since 2003.
Toronto acquired Overbay and right-hander Ty Taubenheim from Milwaukee in exchange for Dave Bush, Gabe Gross and Zach Jackson. Overbay made $2.5 million last season. He turns 30 later this month.
He becomes the latest Blue Jays to sign a multiyear contract. Vernon Wells signed a $126 million, seven-year contract extension in December, the sixth-largest deal in baseball history
Three Blue Jays remain eligible for arbitration: pitcher Scott Downs, outfielders Reed Johnson and Alex Rios.
Toronto hasn't been to arbitration with a player since 1997.
