MLB report: Nolan Arenado, Bryce Harper agree to short-term deals to avoid arbitration

The Colorado Rockies and Gold Glove third baseman Nolan Arenado avoided arbitration Friday by agreeing to a $29.5-million, two-year contract, while Bryce Harper and the Washington Nationals agreed to a $13,625,000 contract for 2017, avoiding arbitration and more than doubling the slugging outfielder’s salary two years before he can become a free agent for the first time.

Also avoiding arbitration a year before he become a free agent was Chicago Cubs ace right-hander Jake Arrieta, who agreed to a $15,637,500, one-year deal.

Arenado will make $11.75 million this season and $17.75 million in 2018. He’ll have one year of arbitration eligibility remaining for 2019, after which he would become eligible for free agency.

Arenado tied for the NL lead with 41 home runs last season and he drove in a major league-best 133 runs. He also won his fourth consecutive Gold Glove and his second straight Silver Slugger. Right-hander Tyler Chatwood and outfielder Charlie Blackmon are eligible for arbitration.

The Nationals also reached one-year deals with their three other arbitration-eligible players on Friday, the day players and teams were to exchange proposed salary figures ahead of hearings.

Third baseman Anthony Rendon will earn $5.8 million next season, right-hander Tanner Roark gets $4,315,000 and new catcher Derek Norris agreed to $4.2 million.

Harper was paid $5 million by the NL East champion Nationals last season, when he struggled with injuries and took a big step back after becoming the youngest unanimous MVP in baseball history in 2015. He hit only .243 with 24 homers and 86 RBIs in 2016, significant drop-offs from the .330, 42 and 99 of a year earlier.

Arrieta went 18-8 with a 3.10 ERA last season, helping Chicago to its first World Series title since 1908. He won the NL Cy Young Award in 2015 and is 54-21 with a 2.52 ERA in three-plus seasons with the Cubs, who also announced one-year contracts with right-handed relievers Hector Rondon and Justin Grimm.

In other arbitration news:

-- All-Star closer Jeurys Familia, who led the majors with a franchise-record 51 save, got a sizable raise from the New York Metswhile still waiting to find out whether he’ll be suspended by Major League Baseball under the sport’s domestic violence policy. Familia will make $7,425,000, up from $4.1 million last season. Starters Matt Harvey and Jacob deGrom, who both had season-ending surgery, also settled on one-year contracts. Harvey got a raise to $5,125,000 from $4,325,000 and deGrom’s salary increased to $4.05 million from $607,000. In addition, catcher Travis d’Arnaud ($1,875,000) and relievers Addison Reed ($7.75 million) and Josh Edgin ($675,000) reached settlements.

-- Left-hander Dallas Keuchel and the Houston Astros agreed to a $9.15-million, one-year contract following a subpar season. The 2015 NL Cy Young Award winner, who turned 29 on New Year’s Day, was 9-12 with a 4.55 ERA in 26 starts last year.

-- The Royals and All-Star first baseman Eric Hosmer have agreed on a $12.25-million contract for next season, avoiding arbitration with a deal that could take him to free agency. General Manager Dayton Moore has long been optimistic that the Royals will be able to sign their homegrown star to a long-term deal, but the price has risen considerably.

-- Orioles star infielder Manny Machado and ace closer Zach Britton have gotten hefty raises and will make more than $11 million each after reaching agreements on one-year deals. They are eligible for free agency after the 2018 season. The 24-year-old Machado will get $11.5 million. He made $5.05 million last season when he set career highs with 37 home runs, 96 RBIs and a .294 batting average. He had 114 starts at third base and 43 at shortstop.

-- Third baseman Todd Frazier has agreed to a $12-million, one-year contract with the White Sox after a mixed first season in Chicago when he hit a career-low .225 but set personal bests with 40 home runs, 98 RBIs, 89 runs and 64 walks.

-- Right-hander Sonny Gray reached agreement on a $3,575,000, one-year contract with the Oakland Athletics. Also agreeing on new deals were catcher Stephen Vogt and right-hander Liam Hendriks, leaving left fielder Khris Davis as the only one yet to settle as he comes off a career year heading into the 2017 season.

-- The Tigers have reached deals for 2017 with third baseman Nick Castellanos and shortstop Jose Iglesias. Detroit also agreed to contracts with left-hander Justin Wilson and right-handers Bruce Rondon and Alex Wilson.

-- The Seattle Mariners have agreed to terms on 2017 contracts with left-hander Drew Smyly and outfielder Jarrod Dyson after acquiring them in trades earlier this month. Seattle also singed their remaining players eligible for arbitration.

-- Infielder Eduardo Nunez reached a $4.2 million, one-year agreement with the San Francisco Giants. Right-handed reliever George Kontos and left-hander Will Smith also received one-year contracts as the club announced all of its arbitration-eligible players had reached deals.

-- The Arizona Diamondbacks have agreed to contracts with left-handed pitcher Patrick Corbin, shortstop Chris Owings, catcher Chris Herrmann and right-handed reliever Randall Delgado agreed to one-year deals. The moves Friday left right-handed starters Shelby Miller and Taijuan Walker as Arizona’s remaining arbitration-eligible players.

-- The Marlins have rewarded reliable All-Star closer A.J. Ramos with a $6.55-million contract as Miami reached agreement on one-year deals with five of its six arbitration-eligible players.

-- Closer Sam Dyson agreed to terms with the Texas Rangers on a $3.52-million contract for next season. Texas also agreed to terms with right-hander A.J. Griffin ($2 million), catcher Robinson Chirinos ($1.95 million) and reliever Tanner Scheppers ($975,000).