Pitcher Nate Robertson and the Detroit Tigers avoided salary arbitration when they agreed Wednesday to a $21.25 million, three-year contract. Robertson was 9-13 with a 4.76 ERA in 30 starts with Detroit last season. He would have been eligible for free agency after the 2009 season. "Nate has been a quality starter during his time with the Tigers," Tigers president Dave Dombrowski said. "We are excited to sign Nate to a long-term contract, and we look forward to him being part of our rotation for years to come."