Money Machado gets $16M ahead of free
BALTIMORE — The Orioles agreed to a $16 million contract with third baseman Manny Machado and a $12 million deal with injured closer Zach Britton, avoiding arbitration with both stars.
Machado, who can become a free agent after this season, hit .259 with 33 homers and 95 RBI last year, when he made $11.5 million. He has been mentioned in persistent trade rumors.
Britton ruptured his right Achilles tendon in offseason training and could miss part of the 2018 season. The 30-year-old left-hander made $11.4 million last season, when he had 15 saves and a 2.89 ERA.
Donaldson, the 2015 AL MVP, got a $6 million raise after rebounding from an injury-slowed 2016 to hit .270 last season with 33 homers and 78 RBI in 113 games. The sure-handed infielder missed time from April 14 through May 25 with a calf injury, which also hampered him during spring training.
Donaldson was coming off a $28.65 million, two-year deal. He is eligible for free agency after this season.
Toronto also agreed Friday to one-year deals with outfielder Ezequiel Carrera ($1.9 million) and left-hander Aaron Loup ($1,812,500). Carrera earned $1,162,500 last season, when the 30-year-old Venezuelan played every outfield spot and batted .282 with eight homers and 20 RBIs in a career-high 131 games for the Blue Jays — 91 of those in left field. Howard, who was awarded $10 million by a three-person panel in 2008, his first year of eligibility for arbitration. The Cubs and Bryant avoided arbitration, and the 26-year-old third baseman received a hefty raise after making $1.05 million last year. Bryant hit .295 with 29 home runs and 73 RBI in 2017. The previous season, he earned National League MVP honors when he hit .292 with 39 homers and 102 RBI. The Cubs won the World Series that year for the first time since 1908.