Reds star Gennett wins arbitration case

Cincinnati Reds second baseman Scooter Gennett won his salary arbitration case, giving players a final 12-10 margin over clubs this year.

Gennett was awarded a raise from $2,525,000 to $5.7 million. The Reds offered $5.1 million.

Players finished with a winning record for the second time in three years, but only their fourth since 1996.

The 22 decisions were the most since players went 14-10 in 1990. Just five players settled among the 27 who swapped proposed salaries with their teams last month.

Gennett hit .295 last year and set career bests with 27 homers and 97 RBI in his first season with the Reds. He hit four homers in a game June 6.

With many teams adopting “file and trial” strategies, the only players who reached agreements after the Jan. 12 exchange of proposed salaries were Houston outfielder George Springer, Baltimore second baseman Jonathan Schoop, Orioles pitcher Kevin Gausman, Detroit shortstop Jose Iglesias and Pittsburgh reliever Felipe Rivero.

Davis returns to Indians: The Cleveland Indians signed free agent Rajai Davis to a minor-league contract, bringing back the speedy outfielder who hit one of the biggest home runs in team history.

The 37-year-old Davis led the American League with 43 stolen bases for Cleveland in 2016. In Game 7 of the World Series, he hit a tying, two-run homer with two outs in the eighth inning off Aroldis Chapman before the Indians lost in the 10th to the Chicago Cubs.

Davis signed with Oakland as a free agent before last season and was traded midseason to Boston. He hit a combined .235 with stole 29 bases.