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CLEVELAND -- The Indians closed out their relationship with Chris Perez. The team released the colorful closer Thursday following a season in which he performed below his All-Star abilities, got arrested and surrendered his job in the final week as Cleveland tried to clinch a playoff spot. Also, the Indians re-signed veteran slugger Jason Giambi, who provided leadership last season along with some clutch hits. A two-time All-Star, Perez spent five seasons in Cleveland. And while he saved 124 games, Perez often was at the centre of turmoil that overshadowed his pitching. He angered Indians fans last season for saying they didnt support the team like they should, and he rankled Clevelands front office by criticizing trades and stating the Indians werent spending enough to win. "We just finished out team meetings and made the determination that Chris was not a fit on our roster," general manager Chris Antonetti said in announcing Perezs release. In June, Perez was arrested after drug agents followed a package containing marijuana to his home in Rocky River, Ohio. He and his wife pleaded guilty to a misdemeanour charge. Perez, who was never shy about voicing his opinion on any subject, didnt talk to the media for months before breaking his silence on the final day of the regular season in Minnesota when the Indians secured a wild-card berth. Antonetti denied the notion that Perez was a distraction. "I think we were able to handle any issues," Antonetti said. "In the end, we won 92 games with him serving as our closer for the majority of the season." Perez was eligible for salary arbitration this winter, and based on his statistics and was in line for a raise from his $7.3 million salary this year. But Perezs struggles, along with his tempestuous past, resulted in the Indians cutting ties with him a day after the World Series ended. In 54 games, Perez went 5-3 with a 4.33 ERA and 25 saves in 30 attempts. But he scuffled after Aug. 1 as his ERA ballooned to 7.52 ERA and he allowed six runs in his final two appearances. Antonetti said Perez, who had a stint on the disabled list this season with a sore shoulder, is healthy and feels hell bounce back -- just not in Cleveland. "On balance, Chris was a very meaningful contributor to our teams over the last few years," Antonetti said. "He had a tough stretch at the end of the season, but all players go through ups and downs. I think Chris will respond well and pitch well for his next team." After he gave up four runs in the ninth inning of a win over Minnesota late in the season, Perez walked into manager Terry Franconas office and told him he didnt want to cost the team a possible playoff berth. Francona promptly pulled him from the closers role, and there was speculation Perez would be left off the post-season roster. However, Perez was on the active roster for the wild-card loss to Tampa Bay. With Perez gone, the Indians need a closer and will look to fill the spot internally with either Cody Allen or Bryan Shaw, two reliable relievers last year. Antonetti said the club could pursue a closer in free agency, but his preference is to use a pitcher on the roster. Giambi was a consummate team player from the moment he arrived at training camp last spring training, and the Indians were thrilled to have him back. "There is no better way to start our off-season than to re-sign Jason Giambi," said Antonetti. "He made a huge impact on our team last season." The 42-year-old, who was a finalist for Colorados managerial job last year, batted just .183 with nine homers and 31 RBIs in 71 games. But it was contributions inside Clevelands clubhouse as a mentor to the teams younger players and a conduit for Francona that helped the Indians get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2007. Giambi also had a flair for the dramatic. He twice became the oldest player in history to hit a walk-off home run. He broke the record set by Hank Aaron on July 29 against Chicago and then bettered his own mark on Sept. 24 with a two-run, pinch-hit homer with two outs in the ninth to beat the White Sox, a shot that helped propel the Indians to a 10-game winning streak to end the season. "When you get a guy like that, sometimes it can be once in a lifetime," Franconia said. "Hes changed people in the organization. Hes made me better. Hes made everybody he touches better. Thats a very special person." The Indians signed Giambi to a minor league contract, a deal with minimal risk in case he decides to retire. Cleveland also made a minor trade with San Diego, acquiring left-hander Colt Hynes from the Padres for cash considerations. The 28-year-old reliever spent the second half of last season with San Diego, posting a 9.00 ERA in 22 relief outings. Custom Nike Baseball Jerseys Sale . 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The fight to include womens ski jumping prior to Vancouver went to the courts only to have the Supreme Court of Canada rule against the athletes appeal in 2009.The Toronto Blue Jays will be looking to regain some ground in the American League East as they open a four-game series against the Boston Red Sox at Rogers Centre. Toronto won its first three-game series since June 25th this past weekend by taking two out of three from the Texas Rangers, shaving the Baltimore Orioles division lead to three games. The Red Sox will turn to veteran righty John Lackey, who has struggled in his career versus the Blue Jays. going 5-8 with a 5.43 ERA in 10 starts against them. The ERA is his second-highest against any AL club. Lackey won his last start back on July 11 in Houston, as he held the Astros to a pair of runs in six innings to improve to 10-6 to go along with a 3.79 ERA. He had allowed five earned runs or more in three consecutive starts from late June into July. Toronto, meanwhile, will counter with righty Drew Hutchison, who has lost four of his last five starts and is 6-8 on the year with a 4.16 ERA. Hutchison was awful on July 12 versus the Tampa Bay Rays, as he was battered to the tune of six runs in 5 1/3 innings. He also walked five batters in the loss. Hutchison has beaten the Red Sox both times he has faced them and has allowed just two runs in 12 2/3 innings against them. Toronto enters this series on the heels of a series win over the hapless Texas Rangers. In Sundays rubber match, Melky Cabrera went 3-for-5 with a home run and three RBI to propel the Blue Jays to a 9-6 win. "We came to life today," said Blue Jays manager John Gibbons. "I felt a little more energy in the ddugout.dddddddddddd" Todd Redmond (1-4) pitched a scoreless seventh inning to earn the win. Mark Buehrle, who started for the Blue Jays, gave up five runs on eight hits and three walks in six innings of work. Cabrera, whose 124 hits trail only Houstons Jose Altuve in the American League, was 7-for-13 in the series versus the Rangers. His three RBI also match his total from his previous 17 games. "The All-Star break did him wonders," Gibbons said. "He just needed to refresh a little bit. His hand speed, bat speed looks a little bit better." The Blue Jays have won each of their last four games versus the Red Sox, including a three-game sweep in Boston from May 20-22. Boston won for the seventh time in eight games on Sunday, as Jon Lester continued his recent dominance on the hill and the Red Sox completed a three- game sweep of the Kansas City Royals with a 6-0 victory at Fenway Park. Lester (10-7) scattered four hits and two walks while striking out eight over as many innings to pick up another win. The left-hander has allowed just one earned run over his last 31 innings and has limited opponents to two earned runs or less in each of his last seven outings, lowering his ERA from 3.52 to 2.50 over that span. "Hes been outstanding," Red Sox manager John Farrell said of his starter. "Its been his best stretch in quite some time." Daniel Nava drove in three runs and David Ross added a two-run homer in the win for Boston, which is now just six games under .500 (46-52). ' ' '