Top News:
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Winter market has been frigid, but Cubs players stoking competitive fire — Chicago Tribune — President Theo Epstein stressed patience as he and his staff try to fortify the Cubs pitching staff during what has so far been a tedious winter. — “Realistically we'd like to add another pitcher …
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Bill Plunkett / Orange County Register:
Dodgers reach contract agreements with all of their arbitration-eligible players — LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers reached agreement on one-year contracts with all of their arbitration-eligible players Friday. — The Dodgers have not gone to an arbitration hearing with a player since reliever Joe Beimel in 2007.
Discussion:
Associated Press and True Blue LA
Fox Sports:
Bryant gets $10.85M, record for 1st arbitration eligible — CHICAGO (AP) Kris Bryant has agreed to a $10.85 million, one-year deal with the Chicago Cubs, a record for a player eligible for arbitration for the first time. — The previous mark was held by Ryan Howard, who was awarded $10 million …
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Cubs agree to terms with Kyle Hendricks, Justin Wilson, Tommy La Stella — Chicago Tribune — The Chicago Cubs agreed to terms Friday with pitchers Kyle Hendricks and Justin Wilson. — The agreements were reached hours before teams and arbitration eligible players face a noon deadline …
Discussion:
MLB on Yahoo! Sports and Bleed Cubbie Blue
Jesse RogersESPN / ESPN:
Source: Cubs' Kris Bryant gets $11M, most for first-time arbitration-eligible player
Phil Thompson / Chicago Tribune:
Comics take swings at ‘skinny’ Kyle Schwarber, Kris Bryant at Anthony Rizzo's benefit
Comics take swings at ‘skinny’ Kyle Schwarber, Kris Bryant at Anthony Rizzo's benefit
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue
Jesse RogersESPN / ESPN:
Are the Cubs one pitcher short as they play free-agent waiting game?
Are the Cubs one pitcher short as they play free-agent waiting game?
Discussion:
MLB on Yahoo! Sports
Associated Press:
Tigers avoid arbitration with Nicholas Castellanos, Alex Wilson, Shane Greene — DETROIT — The Detroit Tigers have agreed to a one-year, $6.05 million contract with Nicholas Castellanos, avoiding arbitration. — The Tigers also reached one-year deals with right-handers Alex Wilson ($1,925,000) and Shane Greene ($1.95 million).
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Anthony Fenech / Detroit Free Press:
Detroit Tigers avoid arbitration with 3, but no deal yet with Iglesias — The Tigers' 16-year streak of avoiding salary arbitration hearings is in jeopardy. — The team agreed to contracts with three of their four remaining arbitration-eligible players on Friday but are $1.2 million apart with shortstop Jose Iglesias.
Discussion:
Bless You Boys
Anthony Fenech / Detroit Free Press:
Detroit Tigers agree to deals with relievers Shane Greene, Alex Wilson
Detroit Tigers agree to deals with relievers Shane Greene, Alex Wilson
Discussion:
Motor City Bengals
ESPN:
Source: Manny Machado avoids arbitration with $16M deal — Manny Machado agreed to a one-year, $16 million deal with the Baltimore Orioles on Friday to avoid a salary arbitration hearing in February, a source told ESPN. — Machado, 25, is a three-time All-Star with two Gold Gloves over parts of six seasons with the Orioles.
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Steve Adams / MLB Trade Rumors:
Orioles Avoid Arbitration With Zach Britton, Brad Brach
Orioles Avoid Arbitration With Zach Britton, Brad Brach
Discussion:
MLB on Yahoo! Sports, Jays Journal and Camden Chat
Globe and Mail:
Jays sign Josh Donaldson to one-year, $23-million contract — Third baseman Josh Donaldson and the Toronto Blue Jays have agreed to a $23 million (U.S.), one-year contact, the largest one-year deal for an arbitration-eligible player. — The new deal gives the 2015 AL MVP a $6 million raise.
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
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CBS New York:
Yu Darvish Changes Story, Says Yankees Did Offer Him Contract — NEW YORK — Yu Darvish backtracked Friday after initially refuting a report that he received a long-term contract offer from the Yankees. — On Thursday, Michael Kay reported on his ESPN radio show that the Yankees offered …
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish, NESN.com and Pinstripe Alley
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John Harper / New York Daily News:
Eduardo Nunez would give the Mets the speed and athleticism they need — During many an off-the-record chat at his locker, Alex Rodriguez loved to play fantasy GM and tell me what he'd do if he were in charge. And the one guy he was always insisting should play more was Eduardo Nunez.
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Associated Press:
Astros give Dallas Keuchel $13.2M, one-year deal — HOUSTON — Astros starter Dallas Keuchel agreed to a $13.2 million, one-year contract after helping lead Houston to its first World Series title, and designated hitter/catcher Evan Gattis got a $6.7 million deal.
Discussion:
ESPN
Associated Press:
Angels reach deal with Garrett Richards, other arbitration eligibles — LOS ANGELES — Pitchers Garrett Richards, Tyler Skaggs and Matt Shoemaker agreed to one-year deals with the Los Angeles Angels along with the team's other seven arbitration-eligible players. — Richards, the team's ace, agreed at $7.3 million.
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cardinals, Ozuna avoid arbitration with $9 million deal for 2018 — ST. LOUIS • With the Cardinals relatively new hard-line stance when it comes to arbitration-eligible players, Friday afternoon's deadline had greater resonance because it wasn't just a pause in negotiations any more.
Discussion:
MLB on Yahoo! Sports
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Associated Press:
Anthony Rendon, Nationals agree on $12.3M contract — WASHINGTON — Nationals third baseman Anthony Rendon more than doubled his salary going into 2018, reaching agreement on a $12.3 million contract Friday to avoid salary arbitration. — Rendon made $5.8 million last season, his first year of arbitration eligibility.
ESPN:
Buster Olney's top 10 teams: Are the Astros and Dodgers still baseball's best? — Postseason performances have outsize value in Major League Baseball, and this is why David Freese shares emotional space with Bob Gibson in St. Louis, why several generations of New Englanders …
Discussion:
Bleacher Nation
Associated Press:
Yankees settle with six players, on track to get under tax line — NEW YORK — The Yankees reached one-year contracts with their remaining six players eligible for arbitration on Friday, leaving their projected luxury-tax payroll at $177 million — $20 million below the threshold.