Hideki Okajima has agreed to a minor league contract with the Oakland Athletics. The left-hander will return to the U.S. after spending 2012 in his native Japan.
The deal will become official after Okajima completes a physical. Okajima failed a physical last winter after reaching an agreement with the Yankees.
In Japan the now 37-year-old posted a 0.94 ERA over 47 2/3 innings of work. In his last season stateside he made seven appearances finishing with a 4.32 ERA.
Okajima had spent his entire major league career with Boston making 261 appearances out of the bullpen. During that time he compiled a 3.11 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP.
