MLB Player News

Syndergaard and the Mets avoided arbitration with a one-year, $6 million contract Friday, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.

Syndergaard more than doubled his salary after returning to relative health in 2018. Despite making two trips to the disabled list, his 25 starts represented the second-highest mark of his four-year career, and his 3.03 ERA was in line with his 2.93 career mark.

Ray agreed to a one-year, $6.05 million deal with the Diamondbacks, avoiding arbitration, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.

Ray has been the topic of trade rumors this offseason, given the fact that Arizona is in a clear rebuild, but Nightengale says the team hopes to keep Ray. That obviously could be posturing, considering Ray will be a free agent after the 2020 season, and the Diamondbacks don't figure to be contending by then. He is a strong bounce-back candidate in 2019.

Urena and the Marlins agreed to a one-year, $3.2 million contract Friday, avoiding arbitration, Robert Murray of The Athletic reports.

Urena was the Marlins' Opening Day starter in 2018, and while his performances weren't typical of a player in that role, his 3.98 ERA was nevertheless the best among Miami pitchers who made at least seven starts. He lines up to fill the same job again this season.

Lorenzen and the Reds reached an agreement Friday on a one-year, $1.95 million deal, avoiding arbitration, Robert Murray of The Athletic reports.

Lorenzen threw 81 innings for the Reds last season, finishing with a 3.11 ERA, though a modest 15.7 percent strikeout rate and an unimpressive 9.9 percent walk rate suggest that some regression may be coming. His role may be expanded this season, with the Reds talking about using him in the outfield occasionally to take advantage of a bat which has produced a 101 wRC+ (.250/.276/.500) and six homers in 92 major-league plate appearances.

Hendricks agreed to a one-year, $7.405 million contract with the Cubs on Friday to avoid arbitration, Jon Heyman of FancredSports.com reports.

Hendricks will have at least one more season in Chicago as he currently is slated for free agency in 2020. The 29-year-old has been one of the most reliable starting pitchers in baseball over the last five years with a 3.07 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 2.1 BB/9 in 132 starts. Hendricks will once again be a key piece of the Cubs' starting rotation in 2019.

Eickhoff signed a one-year, $975,000 contract with the Phillies on Thursday, avoiding arbitration, Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports.

Eickhoff was limited to just three appearances for the Phillies in 2018 thanks to a lingering lat injury, notching a 6.75 ERA and 11:0 K:BB in 5.1 innings when healthy. He underwent surgery in October to address a carpal tunnel issue, but is expected to be fully healthy for the start of spring training. The 28-year-old right-hander owns a career 3.91 ERA across parts of four major-league seasons (381.2 innings) and figures to compete for a back-end rotation spot in camp.

Jorge (triceps) agreed to a minor-league contract with the Reds on Thursday that includes an invitation to major-league spring training, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

The 25-year-old spent all of 2018 rehabbing a triceps injury, but he has a bit of major-league experience from his debut in 2017. However, Jorge hasn't found much success above Double-A in his professional career and his peripheral stats aren't great. Assuming his triceps issue is behind him by the time spring training rolls around, he figures to compete for a back-end rotation spot in spring training, though some time at Triple-A is the more likely conclusion for Jorge this season.

Rea signed a minor-league contract with the Cubs which includes an invitation to spring training Wednesday, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.

Rea has a mediocre 4.69 ERA in 134.1 career major-league innings, none of which have come since 2016. Tommy John surgery cost him the entirety of his 2017 campaign, while a strained lat kept him out for the first half of last season. He spent the remainder of the year struggling to get back on track in the minors, finishing with a 5.73 ERA in 75.1 innings at the two highest levels. The 28-year-old has swingman upside at best and significant injury concerns cast doubt on him reaching even that low ceiling.

Gutierrez was invited to the Reds' big-league spring training camp Wednesday.

Gutierrez spent the entirety of last season with Double-A Pensacola, finishing with a mediocre 4.35 ERA. That performance doesn't make it likely that he'll skip Triple-A and start the season at the MLB level, but he'll get the chance to work with the big-league coaching staff this spring and could be up with the Reds later in the year should he get off to a good start at Triple-A.

Despaigne signed a minor-league contract with the Reds on Tuesday that includes an invitation to spring training, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports.

Despaigne split time with the Marlins and Angels in 2018, though he struggled to a combined 6.69 ERA and 1.82 WHIP across 39 innings at both stops. The veteran right-hander is nothing more than a low-leverage innings eater at this point in his career.