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Ausmus picks Dodgers, gets 1-year deal
"He's excited about it," said Ausmus' agent, Peter Mrowka, to The Associated Press. "He's looking forward to playing with the Dodgers and for Joe Torre."
Ausmus, seeking to play for a team near his home in Del Mar, Ca., chose the Dodgers over the Padres, who are also in the market for a backup catcher.
The Dodgers figure to be a stronger contender in the NL West next season than the Padres, who are reducing their payroll to $40 million.
Ausmus, 39, will be a backup to Russell Martin. He would have filled a similar role with the Padres, serving as a veteran mentor to Nick Hundley.
A three-time Gold Glove winner, Ausmus began his career with the Padres in 1993. He has spent 10 of his last 12 seasons with the Astros.
In 81 games last season, Ausmus batted .218 with a .303 on-base percentage, three homers and 24 RBIs. He ranks ninth all-time with 1,857 games caught.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
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