MLB Player News

The Red Sox and Crawford avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $2.75 million contract Thursday, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.

Crawford reached Super 2 status, so he will receive a substantial pay bump. The right-hander made 33 starts for the Red Sox in 2024, finishing with a 4.36 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 175:51 K:BB across 183.2 frames. Crawford should open the season in Boston's rotation, though he could be the odd man out depending how the rest of the offseason and spring training unfold.

Manoah (elbow) agreed to a one-year, $2.2 million contract with the Blue Jays on Thursday to avoid arbitration, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.

Following a delayed start to the season, Manoah was able to turn in a 3.70 ERA and 1.03 WHIP over 24.1 innings before a sprained UCL ended his campaign early in late May. The 27-year-old underwent a hybrid internal brace procedure to address the issue in June and is targeting August for his return to a big-league mound in 2025.

Houck agreed to a one-year, $3.95 million contract with the Red Sox on Thursday to avoid arbitration, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.

After logging a 5.01 ERA in 2023, Houck bounced back with a 3.12 ERA and 1.14 WHIP last season while also posting a 154:48 K:BB over 178.2 frames. His improvement will earn him a $3.18 million raise in his first year of arbitration eligibility, and the 28-year-old righty is expected to follow new acquisition Garrett Crochet atop the Red Sox's rotation.

The Orioles and Bradish (elbow) avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $2.35 million contract Thursday, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

It's a nice raise for Bradish, who qualified for arbitration for the first time as a Super 2 player. The right-hander will be sidelined until around midseason of 2025 while continuing his recovery from Tommy John surgery with an internal brace.

The Orioles and Kremer avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $2.95 million contract Thursday, Andy Kostka of TheBaltimoreBanner.com reports.

Kremer had been eligible for arbitration for the first time. The right-hander collected a 4.10 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 123:51 K:BB across 129.2 frames covering 24 regular-season starts with the Orioles in 2024 and will be part of their rotation again in 2025.

Skubal agreed to a one-year, $10.15 million contract with the Tigers on Thursday to avoid arbitration, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

The left-hander will get a raise of nearly $8 million in his second year of arbitration eligibility after unanimously winning the American League Cy Young Award in 2024. Skubal posted a 2.39 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 228:35 K:BB across 192 regular-season innings and should be one of the top pitchers in baseball again this year.

The Twins and Ryan (shoulder) avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $3 million contract Thursday, Darren Wolfson of Channel 5 Saint Paul reports.

It's a big raise for Ryan, who had been eligible for salary arbitration for the first time. The right-hander earned the pay bump after posting a 3.60 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 147:23 K:BB over 135 innings in 2024. Ryan missed most of the final two months of the season with a shoulder strain but is expected to be ready for spring training.

The Twins and Ober avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $3.55 million contract Thursday, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.

Ober will get a well-deserved pay bump in his first year of arbitration eligibility. The big right-hander put up a 3.98 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 191:43 K:BB over a career-high 178.2 innings and career-high 31 starts in 2024.

Detmers agreed to a one-year, $1.825 million contract with the Angels on Thursday, avoiding arbitration, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.

The left-hander spent much of 2024 in the minors and finished with a 6.70 ERA, 1.56 WHIP and 109:38 K:BB in 17 starts with the Angels. Detmers may need a strong showing during spring training in order to break camp with the big-league club in 2025.

Baz and the Rays avoided arbitration Thursday by agreeing to a one-year, $1.45 million deal, Ari Alexander of KPRC 2 Houston reports.

Baz was limited to 14 starts with Tampa Bay in 2024 after spending the early part of the season completing his recovery from September 2022 Tommy John surgery as well as an oblique injury that cropped up during spring training. Once he joined the big-league rotation in early July, Baz struggled to regain his pre-surgery velocity but achieved strong results nonetheless, posting a 3.06 ERA and 1.06 WHIP in 79.1 innings. Though Baz needed a .229 BABIP and a 9.6 HR/FB% to achieve the shiny ERA, now that he's further removed from elbow surgery, there's reason to hope that the 25-year-old can improve upon his 21.6 K% to help stave off the ERA correction that might otherwise be headed his way in 2025.