Rasmus signs for $2.7M By QMI Agency

The Blue Jays avoided arbitration with outfielder Colby Rasmus on Sunday. (Jack Boland/QMI Agency/Files)

TORONTO - Scratch centre fielder Colby Rasmus off the list of Toronto Blue Jays going to arbitration.

The Blue Jays signed Rasmus, 25, to a one-year, $2.7 million contract Sunday, leaving them with five remaining arbitration-eligible players. It's a huge bump in salary for Rasmus, who made just $443,000 in 2011.

Rasmus, acquired in a big mid-season deal with the St. Louis Cardinals, hit just .173 with three homers in 35 games with the Jays.

The former first-round pick (2005, by St. Louis) was batting .246 with 11 homers in 94 games with the Cards.

Outfielder Ben Francisco, pitchers Casey Janssen, Brandon Morrow and Carlos Villanueva, and second baseman Kelly Johnson are the only Jays left who are eligible for salary arbitration.