The Pirates and reliever Joel Hanrahan have agreed to a one-year deal, avoiding arbitration. The contract is for $1.4 million.  

The 29-year-old went 4-1 with a 3.62 ERA in 72 appearances (69.2 innings) with 100 strikeouts (a career high) and picked up six saves. Hanrahan made $453,000 during the 2010 season.

“It was that close,” Pirates right-handed relief pitcher Joel Hanrahan said of an arbitration-avoiding deal he signed Tuesday afternoon with the Pirates. “We got it done at 12:58, just before the [1 p.m.] deadline. It feels good to get it done. I definitely didn’t want to have to go through the arbitration process, possibly go to court and all of that.”

General Manager Neal Huntington has not announced who will be the closer during the 2011 season; Hanrahan or Evan Meek. Huntington also said last week during the Pirates mini camp, there will not be a spring training competition.

“Just ready to get going now,” Hanrahan said. “I’m just excited that the contract stuff is behind me and I’m ready to get going this season.”