The New York Mets, Miami Marlins and Philadelphia Phillies spent a lot of Friday settling contract issues with arbitration-eligible players. The Washington Nationals were as well, and you can view their signings here.
According to Mike Perchick of WAPT, the Mets have settled with starting pitcher Dillon Gee and agreed to a one-year, $5.3 million contract. The right-hander has been the subject of trade talks since the MLB Winter Meetings and he still could be dealt before spring training. He battled injuries in 2014 and finished with a 7-8 record and 4.00 ERA in 22 starts.
The team also signed shortstop Ruben Tejada to a one-year, $1.88 million deal for the 2015 season, Perchick reports. The 25-year-old shortstop will back up Wilmer Flores in 2015 after slashing .237/.342/.310 with 30 runs scored, five home runs and 34 RBIs in 119 games last season.
Gee and Tejada aren't the only players the Mets are trying to avoid arbitration with. Perchick also notes that New York is working on negotiations with second baseman Daniel Murphy, first baseman Lucas Duda and reliever Jenrry Mejia. If the team can get all of these accomplished, they would be done with arbitration settlements for the offseason.
In South Beach, the Miami Marlins avoided arbitration with a lot of big names on their roster. According to Perchick, FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal and Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, the Marlins settled with closer Steve Cishek ($6.65 million), starting pitcher Henderson Alvarez ($4 million), second baseman Dee Gordon ($2.5 million) and reliever Aaron Crow ($1.975 million). Cishek and Alvarez are part of the core that was built in Miami while the team acquired Gordon and Crow in trades this offseason.
They still have some work to do with pitchers Mat Latos, David Phelps and Mike Dunn.
Although the Phillies may not be in contention in 2015, they made some crucial moves on Friday in settling with outfielders Domonic Brown and Ben Revere. According to Austin Laymance of MLB.com, Brown will earn $2.5 million and Revere will get $4.1 million in 2015. The two received substantial raises, up from $1.95 million for Revere and $550,000 for Brown. Luckily for Philadelphia, those were their only two arbitration-eligible players this offseason, so their work in done in that aspect of the front office duties.
The Atlanta Braves also only have two such players to deal with this offseason, and that number went down to one after they settled with reliever James Russell. According to Heyman, the two agreed on a one-year, $2.425 million contract. The other player, starting pitcher Mike Minor, should have his salary settled before the arbitration hearings in February.
We'll keep updating the list as more signings occur.
UPDATE: Perchick reports the Mets have avoided arbitration with second baseman Daniel Murphy on a one-year, $8 million deal.
