The Twins locked up Glen Perkins through the 2015 season.

The Twins signed reliever Glen Perkins today to a three-year, $10.3 million extension that includes an option for 2016.

Perkins, 29, already was under contract for $1.55 million this year. He would have been eligible for free agency after the 2013 season. His new deal includes incentives for games finished, starting in 2013, so he’ll be compensated if he moves into the closer’s role.

Like most Twins pitchers, Perkins walks very few batters. In 2011, however, he upped his strikeout rate with impressive results. Minnesota must have some belief the change is real to sign him to a three-year deal. Even if Perkins does regress a bit, it’s still a low cost contract for Minnesota. The upside is he turns into a quality closer at a low cost. The downside is they get a middle reliever with good control at a reasonable cost.