Tigers sign closer Joel Hanrahan, place him on the DL

One-year contract for pitcher recovering from Tommy John surgery

The Detroit Tigers have signed closer Joel Hanrahan to a one-year contract, the team announced Friday.

The 32-year-old Hanrahan saved a combined 76 games for the Pirates in 2011 and 2012 and made the National League all-star team both seasons.

Hanrahan was traded to the Red Sox following the '12 season, but appeared in just nine games (saving four) in 2013 before going on the disabled list and undergoing Tommy John surgery. Boston released Hanrahan last October.

He has a 22-18 career record with 100 saves and 3.85 lifetime ERA.

However, Hanrahan won't immediately suit up at Comerica Park. He's still rehabbing his arm and was immediately placed on the 15-day disabled list.

When he's healthy enough to pitch, the Tigers plan to assign him initially to Lakeland. There is no timetable to promote him back to the big leagues.

Hanrahan told reporters on a noontime conference call that he pinpointed the Tigers as the team he wanted to sign with a while back and credited Torii Hunter for recruiting him to Detroit.

Earlier in the day Hanrahan  tweeted a picture of his child and dog in Tiger hats.

Hanrahan tweet