Big names top list of 112 agreeing to 1year deals

Francisco Lindor, Kris Bryant, Cody Bellinger and Corey Seager were among 112 players who agreed to oneyear contracts Friday, leaving just 13 to swap salary arbitration figures during a slow offseason in the aftermath of the financial carnage caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The deals came on the deadline day for players and teams to exchange proposed 2021 salaries.

Lindor, the AllStar shortstop acquired last week by the New York Mets from Cleveland, got the largest of the deals at $22.3 million. The Mets hope to sign him to a longterm contract that would prevent him from becoming a free agent at the end of the season.

Lindor’s deal is the fourth highest oneyear contract for an arbitrationeligible player, trailing Mookie Betts ($27 million with Boston last year), Nolan Arenado ($26 million with Colorado in 2019) and Josh Donaldson ($23 million with Toronto in 2018).

Bryant agreed to $19.5 million with the Chicago Cubs. He, too, can become a free agent after the season.

Bellinger and Seager got big raises after helping the Los Angeles Dodgers win heir first World Series title since 1988. Bellinger, an outfielder and first baseman, agreed to $16.1 million. Seager, MVP of the NL Championship Series and World Series, agreed to $13.75 million.

New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge agreed at $10,175,000.

Among players set for hearings is Houston shortstop Carlos Correa. He asked for a raise from $8 million to $12.5 million, and the Astros offered $9.75 million.

Atlanta shortstop Dansby Swanson was the only other player asking more than $5 million: He requested $6.75 million and was offered $6 million. Braves pitcher Mike Soroka asked for $2.8 million and was offered $2.1 million.

Cubs outfielder Ian Happ asked for $4.1 million and was offered $3.25 million.

Two Dodgers remain set for hearings. Pitcher Walker Buehler asked for $4.15 million and was offered $3.3 million, and catcher Austin Barnes asked for $2 million and was offered $1.5 million.

Among the AL champion Rays, first baseman JiMan Choi asked for $2.45 million and was offered $1.85 million, and reliever Ryan Yarbrough asked for $3.1 million and was offered $2.3 million.

The Angels’ Shohei Ohtani, who slumped to .190 at the plate and pitched a total of 12⁄3 innings while coming off Tommy John surgery, asked for $3.3 million and was offered $2.5 million.

Also exchanging were New York Mets third basemanoutfielder J.D. Davis ($2,475,000 vs. $2.1 million), Baltimore outfielder Anthony Santander (also $2,475,000 vs. $2.1 million) and St. Louis righthander Jack Flaherty ($3.9 million vs. $3 million).

Hearings before threeperson virtual panels will be scheduled for Feb. 119.

The Yankees reached a deal with righthander Corey Kluber worth $11 million for one year and agreed to a $90 million, sixyear contract to keep AL batting champion DJ LeMahieu, a source told the Associated Press.

Kluber, who turns 35 on April 10, is a threetime AllStar who is 9858 with a 3.16 ERA in 10 seasons, the first nine with the Indians.