Left-handed reliever Aaron Fultz avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year contract, Assistant General Manager Ruben Amaro Jr. announced today.

Fultz, 32, will earn $1.2 million in 2006, plus bonuses.

"Aaron had a very consistent year in 2005 and he has found his niche with us as a valuable piece of the bullpen mix," said Amaro. "We are pleased to have come to terms with him at this time."

With the Phillies this past season, Fultz went 4-0 with a career-low 2.24 ERA in 62 games. He held opponents to a .186 batting average and 5.85 hits/9.0 innings, both fourth-lowest among National League relievers.

Lifetime in the major leagues, Fultz is 18-11 with a 4.34 ERA in 348 games for San Francisco (2000-02), Texas (2003), Minnesota (2004) and Philadelphia (2005).

The Phillies have three arbitration-eligible players remaining: outfielders Endy Chavez and Jason Michaels and righthander Brett Myers.

In addition, the Phillies outrighted right-handed reliever Aquilino Lopez to triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on December 9, which puts the club at 37 players on its 40-man roster.