Eric Chavez is returning to the Yankees for 2012, officially signing a one-year, $900K deal with incentives. Chavez, 35, will reprise his role as a backup corner infielder and DH for the Yanks. The left-handed hitter posted a .263/.320/.356 line with two homers in 175 plate appearances in the Bronx in 2011, his first season in New York after spending 13 in Oakland.

Though he was once one of the better all-around third basemen in baseball, Chavez has played in no more than 90 games over the past five seasons, so he is strictly a role player at this juncture of his career.

In a corresponding move, the Yankees transferred reliever David Aardsma to the 60-day DL. Chris Dickerson was outrighted recently, so the team's 40-man roster count now stands at 39.

Jon Heyman of CBS Sports first tweeted the agreement on Tuesday, with Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports adding financial details.