MLB Player News
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Trent Thornton RP | CHC
Mariners' Trent Thornton: Avoids arbitration
The Mariners and Thornton avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $2 million contract Thursday, Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reports.
Thornton has turned into a quality reliever for the Mariners, collecting a 3.20 ERA and 98:24 K:BB over 98.1 frames since being acquired from the Blue Jays in 2023. The right-hander is slated for a middle relief role again in 2025.
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Justin Anderson RP | CHW
White Sox's Justin Anderson: Avoids arbitration
Anderson agreed to a one-year, $900,000 contract with the White Sox on Thursday, avoiding arbitration.
Anderson returned to the majors for the first time in five years last season, finishing 2024 with a 4.39 ERA and 1.50 WHIP across 53.1 frames. While his numbers don't exactly jump off the stat sheet, the right-hander's experience could allow him to be one of the White Sox's go-to options in high-leverage situations, as Chicago projects to have a very young and thin bullpen.
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Bryan Abreu RP | HOU
Astros' Bryan Abreu: Avoids arbitration with Houston
The Astros and Abreu avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $3.45 million contract Thursday, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
He was arbitration-eligible for a second time this winter. Abreu's ERA rose to 3.10 ERA during the 2024 regular season, but he notched 100 strikeouts in relief for the second year in a row and will again be a primary setup man ahead of closer Josh Hader in the Houston bullpen in 2025.
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Penn Murfee RP | CHW
White Sox's Penn Murfee: Avoids arbitration
The White Sox and Murfee (elbow) avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $780,000 contract Thursday, James Fegan of SoxMachine.com reports.
Murfee was a waiver claim of the White Sox earlier this offseason after missing all of 2024 due to Tommy John surgery. He had to be pulled off a rehab assignment with elbow soreness in August but was throwing again by the end of the season, so the hope is he enters spring training healthy.
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Garrett Crochet RP | BOS
Red Sox's Garrett Crochet: Settles with new club at $3.8M
The Red Sox and Crochet avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $3.8 million contract Thursday, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.
There appears to be mutual interest between the Red Sox and Crochet in working out a long-term contract extension, but for now the two sides will settle for avoiding an arbitration hearing. Crochet put up a 3.58 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 209:33 K:BB over 146 innings in 2024 with the White Sox in his first year as a full-time starter.
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Jason Foley RP | SF
Tigers' Jason Foley: Inks deal with Detroit
Foley agreed to a one-year, $3.15 million contract with the Tigers on Thursday, avoiding arbitration, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.
The right-hander receives a significant raise in his first season of arbitration eligibility after recording 28 saves with a 3.15 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 46:20 K:BB across 60 innings during the regular season last year. Foley is the early favorite to close games in 2025, but he's not guaranteed the full-time job due to his shaky control and could end up in a high-leverage committee.
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Nick Sandlin RP | LAA
Blue Jays' Nick Sandlin: Avoids arbitration with Toronto
The Blue Jays and Sandlin avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $1.63 million contract Thursday, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca report.
Acquired from the Guardians via trade in December, Sandlin was eligible for arbitration for the first time. He held a 3.75 ERA and 68:27 K:BB across 57.2 innings with Cleveland in 2024.
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Jhoan Duran RP | PHI
Twins' Jhoan Duran: Gets $4.125 million from Minnesota
The Twins and Duran avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $4.125 million contract Thursday, Darren Wolfson of Channel 5 Saint Paul reports.
Duran had an elevated 3.64 ERA but a quality 66:15 K:BB over 54.1 innings of work with the Twins in 2024. He is at the top of the pecking order for saves again in 2025, although manager Rocco Baldelli isn't shy about using other relievers to close games on occasion.
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Will Vest RP | DET
Tigers' Will Vest: Avoids arbitration
Vest and the Tigers agreed to a one-year, $1.4 million contract Thursday to avoid arbitration, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.
Vest enjoyed a career-best season out of the Detroit bullpen in 2024, turning in a 2.82 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 63:18 K:BB in 70.1 regular-season innings while gathering three wins, two saves and 14 holds. The Tigers' closing situation isn't settled heading into 2025, but Vest likely won't be manager A.J. Hinch's top choice for save situations and is expected to continue seeing the bulk of his opportunities in the seventh and eighth innings.
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Zach Pop RP | PHI
Blue Jays' Zach Pop: Avoids arbitration
The Blue Jays and Pop avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $900,000 contract Thursday, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca report.
Pop will avoid a hearing in what was his first year of arbitration eligibility. He's struggled during his time in Toronto, collecting a 4.89 ERA and 58:27 K:BB over 81 innings across the past two-plus seasons.