Soto, Alonso, Guerrero get big deals, avoid arbitration

Juan Soto, Pete Alonso and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. reached big-money agreements on oneyear contracts that avoided salary arbitration as the exchange of proposed hearing figures between Major League Baseball and the players’ association stretched late into Friday night.

Soto got a $23 million deal with San Diego, tied for the fourth-highest one-year contract among arbitration-eligible players. Shohei Ohtani set the record when the two-way star agreed last fall to a $30 million contract with the Angels.

In addition to the deal with the outfielder, San Diego also reached a $14.1 million, oneyear agreement with Josh Hader, the largest salary for an arbitration-eligible relief pitcher.

The high-spending New York Mets struck a $14.5 million deal with Alonso, who tied for the major league lead with 131 RBIs last season. The first baseman nearly doubled his $7.4 million salary.

Guerrero agreed to the same figure with Toronto, the first baseman increasing his salary from $7.9 million.

Left-hander Julio Urías settled with the Los Angeles Dodgers at $14.25 million, first baseman Rhys Hoskins with NL champion Philadelphia at $12 million, two-time All-Star right-hander Shane Bieber with Cleveland at $10.01 million and left-hander Jordan Montgomery with St. Louis at $10 million.

PIRATES: Andrew McCutchen is returning to the Pittsburgh Pirates.

A person with knowledge of the agreement tells the Associated Press the veteran centerfielder, a five-time All-Star and the 2013 National League MVP for the Pirates earlier in his career, has agreed to a oneyear deal with the club. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the agreement is pending the completion of a physical.

The agreement is a homecoming for the 36-year-old McCutchen, who helped guide the Pirates to three straight playoff berths from 2013-15 before being traded to the Giants in January 2018.

McCutchen hit .237 with 17 home runs and 69 RBIs for the Brewers in 2022.