The Detroit Tigers have signed left-handed reliever John Bale to a minor-league contract, a source told FOXSports.com.

Bale, 36, has a career 4.66 ERA in 109 big-league appearances, the most recent coming with the Kansas City Royals in 2009. He pitched this past year for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp of the Japanese Central League.

For his career, Bale's allowed a .238 batting average to left-handed hitters.

The Tigers have only two left-handed relievers on their 40-man roster - Daniel Schlereth and Brad Thomas - and are looking to add depth there. Neither Schlereth nor Thomas has an abundance of experience as a situational lefty, and the Tigers play in a division that includes Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau and now Adam Dunn.

-Jon Paul Morosi