First baseman Lyle Overbay and the Toronto Blue Jays avoided a salary arbitration hearing by agreeing Monday to a four-year, $24-million US contract.

Overbay — who would have been eligible for free agency after the 2008 season — hit .312 with 22 home runs, 99 runs batted in and a team-high 46 doubles with Toronto last season after being acquired in an off-season trade with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Lyle Overbay, left, and Vernon Wells are the latest Blue Jays to collect multiyear deals.
(Aaron Harris/Canadian Press)

"I knew we had a good thing, a great clubhouse. We signed Vernon Wells. That was a big part of it," Overbay said Monday, referring to signing a long-term deal.

Wells, Toronto's Gold Glove centre-fielder, agreed last month to a $126-million, seven-year extension through 2014.

Besides a $3.8-million signing bonus, Overbay will be paid $400,000 this year, $5.8 million in 2008 and $7 million in each of the following two seasons.

The major-league leader with 133 doubles since 2003, Overbay posted a .372 on-base percentage and .508 slugging percentage last season, both good for fifth place with the Blue Jays.

Overbay, who turns 30 later this month, made $2.5 million in 2006.

"We think there is a core nucleus here that is built really for '07 to '10," said Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi, referring to pitchers Roy Halladay, A.J. Burnett and B.J. Ryan, along with third baseman Troy Glaus and designated hitter Frank Thomas. "We're just trying to keep as good a group together as we can.

"We'll have a very good offensive team [this season]. Most nights, we'll have a chance to pitch well."

The Blue Jays, who haven't been to salary arbitration since 1997, have yet to reach deals with three arbitration-eligible players: pitcher Scott Downs, and outfielders Reed Johnson and Alex Rios.

With files from the Associated Press