Rangers sign Japanese pitcher Fukumori

MIAMI (Reuters) - The Texas Rangers have signed Japanese pitcher Kazuo Fukumori on two-year, $3 million contract, the Major League Baseball team said on Friday.

The 31-year-old right-hander joins from Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of Japan's Pacific League despite having an injury-plagued season in his home country.

"Kaz is a guy who has a chance to really help our 'pen," Rangers general manager Jon Daniels told the team's Web site (texas.rangers.mlb.com) "He's got the right makeup for it and is very motivated to prove himself here in the States."

The Rangers opted this week not to offer a contract to Japanese pitcher Akinori Otsuka, who started last season as the team's closer but was unable to pitch after July 1 because of a right forearm injury.

(Reporting by Simon Evans in Miami; Editing by Ed Osmond)