Phillies, Nola agree to $45 million, four-year deal

CLEARWATER, Fla. — Pitcher Aaron Nola and the Philadelphia Phillies agreed to a $45 million, four-year contract, avoiding a salary arbitration hearing scheduled for this week.

The 25- year- old right- hander set career bests last year when he been eligible for free agency after the 2021 season.

Under a deal announced Wednesday, Nola gets a $2 million signing bonus, $4 million this year, $8 million in 2020, $11.75 million in 2021 and $15 million in 2022. Philadelphia has a $16 million team option for 2023 with a $4.25 million buyout.

Eligible for arbitration for the from $573,000 to $6.75 million. The Phillies had offered $4.5 million.

Among the more than 175 players who were eligible for arbitration deal of more than one guaranteed season. Arizona left- hander T. J. MacFarland and Milwaukee catcher

Manny Pina agreed to contracts that included 2020 club options.

Trevor Bauer, Gerrit Cole and

Alex Wood won their salary arbitration cases, giving players a 6-3 advantage over teams to ensure a winning record in consecutive years

Bauer won his hearing for the awarded $13 million on Wednesday instead of the Cleveland Indians’ $11 million offer.

Cole was given a $13.5 million Astros’ offer of $11,425,000. Wood will get $9.65 million instead of the Cincinnati Reds’ $8.7 million offer.

The Chicago Cubs and Sinclair Broadcast Group are launching a regional sports network in 2020 that will be the team’s exclusive TV home.

The Cubs said Wednesday that the Marquee Sports Network will carry live game broadcasts and pregame and postgame coverage. Cubs games will be in one place, instead of split between two broadcast stations.

- tracts with WGN and WLS in 2014 ahead of plans for the network launch in 2020.