Betts, DeGrom take big one-year deals

American League MVP Mookie Betts, Nationals League Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom and major league home run champion Khris Davis reached high-priced oneyear deals to avoid salary arbitration, while slugger Nolan Arenado and pitchers Gerrit Cole, Luis Severino and Aaron Nola were among 15 players still on track for hearings.

Betts and the World Series champion Boston Red Sox agreed to a $20-million, one-year contract, a $9.5million raise for an arbitration-eligible player that topped Max Scherzer’s $8.8million raise from Detroit in 2014. Betts’ record didn’t last the day, broken when DeGrom and the New York Mets agreed at $17 million, a $9.6-million increase.

Davis and the Oakland Athletics reached a $16.5million deal, a $6-million raise after he hit 48 home runs with 123 RBIs.

Arenado asked for a record $30 million in arbitration from Colorado and was offered $24 million. He will top the record for a salary for an arbitration-eligible player, a $23-million deal last year by Toronto and third baseman Josh Donaldson.

Etc.

Gold Glove-winning freeagent second baseman D.J. LeMahieu and the New York Yankees have agreed to a $24-million, two-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told the Associated Press, a deal that would appear to eliminate New York as a destination for Manny Machado. The Yankees also agreed to a three-year, $39-million contract with reliever Zach Britton . ... Suspended shortstop Addison Russell and the Chicago Cubs have agreed to a $3.4-million, one-year contract, a $200,000 raise for a player whose relationship with the team appeared strained after a domestic violence suspension . ... The Washington Nationals avoided arbitration with infielders Anthony Rendon and Trea Turner, reaching an $18.8-million deal with Rendon and a $3.725 million agreement with Turner.