The Blue Jays announced they've avoided arbitration with second baseman Kelly Johnson for $6.375MM and outfielder Ben Francisco for $1.5375MM. Casey Janssen and Brandon Morrow are the Jays' remaining arbitration eligible players.
Mariners Avoid Arbitration With Jason Vargas
The Mariners avoided arbitration with starter Jason Vargas on a deal worth $4.85MM, announced his agency CAA. The Mariners have signed all of their arbitration eligible players.
Angels Avoid Arbitration With Erick Aybar
The Angels avoided arbitration with shortstop Erick Aybar by signing him to a $5.075MM deal, tweets ESPN's Enrique Rojas. MLBTR had projected the SFX client for $4.7MM. The Angels have now signed all of their arbitration eligible players.
Aybar will be eligible for free agency after the 2012 season, but GM Jerry Dipoto told Mike DiGiovanna of the L.A. Times via text message, "We are continuing to work toward an extended contract and definitely desire to keep Erick in an Angels uniform for the long term."
Braves Avoid Arbitration With Jair Jurrjens
The Braves avoided arbitration with starter Jair Jurrjens on a deal worth $5.5MM, MLBTR has learned. the Boras client can earn another $25K each time for reaching 175, 180, 190, 200, 210, and 215 innings. With the deal, the Braves have signed all their arbitration eligible players.
Red Sox Avoid Arbitration With Jacoby Ellsbury
The Red Sox avoided arbitration with center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury on a deal worth $8.05MM, tweets MLBTR's Ben-Nicholson-Smith. MLBTR projected a $7.9MM salary for Ellsbury, who finished second in the AL MVP voting. The Red Sox still have multiple arbitration cases to settle.
Some say Ellsbury's salary is a record for a second-time arbitration eligible player, but Miguel Cabrera received $11.3MM in 2007 a few months before agreeing to a multiyear deal (in which his '07 salary remained unchanged).
Rays Avoid Arbitration With Price, Upton
The Rays avoided arbitration with starter David Price on a deal worth $4.35MM, tweets MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith. Price's salary matches Dontrelle Willis' first-time pitcher record set six years ago. I thought he'd do better. It seems the "raise argument" did not apply on top of Price's $1.25MM 2011 salary, which represented the last year of a Major League deal he signed upon being drafted.
The team also avoided arbitration with B.J. Upton, tweets Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times. Upton gets $7MM plus some small plate appearance bonuses, tweets Topkin. MLBTR projected the Reynolds Sports Management client at $7.6MM.
The Rays appear headed for an arbitration hearing with pitcher Jeff Niemann.
Indians Avoid Arbitration With Shin-Soo Choo
The Indians avoided arbitration with outfielder Shin-Soo Choo on a deal worth $4.9MM, tweets MLBTR's Ben-Nicholson-Smith. MLBTR had projected the Boras client for $4.3MM.
Twins Avoid Arbitration With Francisco Liriano
The Twins avoided arbitration with starter Francisco Liriano, signing the Legacy Sports client to a $5.5MM deal, tweets ESPN's Enrique Rojas. It was a rough year for Liriano, limiting his raise to $1.2MM. He'll be a free agent after 2012.
The Twins' arbitration agenda will be complete if they sign infielder Alexi Casilla.
Rangers Avoid Arbitration With Mike Adams
The Rangers avoided arbitration with reliever Mike Adams, by signing him to a $4.4MM deal, tweets Anthony Andro of FOX Sports Southwest. Matt Swartz had projected the SFX client for $4.5MM.
The Rangers' arbitration agenda still includes Elvis Andrus, Nelson Cruz, Matt Harrison, and Mike Napoli.
Brewers Avoid Arbitration With Francisco Rodriguez
The Brewers announced they've avoided arbitration with reliever Francisco Rodriguez, signing the Scott Boras client to a one-year deal. Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports the value at $8MM, well below my expectation after he earned $11.5MM in 2011. K-Rod had accepted the team's arbitration offer rather than continue as a free agent.
