Nomo Signs With BoSox

Hideo Nomo and the Boston Red Sox agreed Friday to a one-year contract.

Nomo, a right-hander who won the 1995 NL Rookie of the Year award with the Los Angeles Dodgers, became a free agent in November when the Detroit Tigers declined to exercise his $5.5 million option.

Nomo was 8-12, with a 4.74 ERA for the Tigers last season and led the team with 188 strikeouts, the sixth-most in the AL.

Nomo has a career record of 69-61 and a 3.97 ERA in six seasons in the majors. In 1997, he reached 500 career strikeouts in 444 2-3 innings, faster than any other pitcher in major league history.

He pitched five seasons in his native Japan before the Dodgers signed him in February 1995.

The deal came four days after the Red Sox agreed to a $160 million, eight-year contract with outfielder Manny Ramirez, the second-richest contract in baseball history.

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