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Liam Hendriks RP | CHC
Athletics' Liam Hendriks: Avoids arbitration
Hendriks agreed to a one-year deal with the A's on Friday, avoiding arbitration, Jane Lee of MLB.com reports.
This was the second year of arbitration eligibility for Hendriks, who posted a 4.22 ERA and 1.25 WHIP with 78 strikeouts in 64 innings last season. The right-hander is a solid presence out of the bullpen for Oakland, as he's regularly capable of hitting the mid- to high 90's, and should be able to work in high-leverage situations during this upcoming campaign.
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Dellin Betances RP | LAD
Yankees' Dellin Betances: Avoids arbitration
Betances agreed to a one-year, $5.1 million deal with the Yankees on Friday, avoiding arbitration, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.
This was his second year as an arbitration-eligible player, and he will receive a raise of $2.1 million from last season. Betances had trouble with command for most of the year, and especially down the stretch, but still posted a 2.87 ERA and 1.22 WHIP with 100 strikeouts in 59.2 innings of work. Regardless of whether he's able to fix some of those problems, the right-hander will be a hot commodity in the fantasy realm, with top value in holds and his ability to make opponents miss.
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Joe Kelly RP | LAD
Red Sox's Joe Kelly: Avoids arbitration
Kelly agreed to a one-year, $3.825 million deal with the Red Sox on Friday, avoiding arbitration, Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports reports.
This was the final offseason that he is an arbitration-eligible player, and the right-hander received a $1.025 million increase from last year. Kelly was able to have a bounce-back campaign in 2017, posting a 2.79 ERA and 1.19 WHIP with a 52:27 K:BB in 58 innings of relief. He should be in the mix to work high-leverage situations this upcoming season, but still leaves something to be desired with his strikeout and command issues.
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Drew Pomeranz RP | CHC
Red Sox's Drew Pomeranz: Avoids arbitration
Pomeranz agreed to a one-year, $8.5 million deal with the Red Sox on Friday, avoiding arbitration, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports.
This marks the final offseason that he is an arbitration-eligible player. Pomeranz posted a 3.32 ERA and 1.35 WHIP with a 174:69 K:BB over 32 starts in 2017. The southpaw basically put up similar numbers to his 2016 campaign when he was dealt to the Red Sox via San Diego in the summer, as he provided durability while cutting down on home-run rate and continuing to strike batters out. Expect more of the same from Pomeranz in 2018.
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Jake Diekman RP | ATL
Rangers' Jake Diekman: Avoids arbitration
Diekman agreed to a one-year, $2,712,500 deal with the Rangers on Friday, Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.
This was the final offseason as an arbitration-eligible player for Diekman. In 2017, the left-hander fought through three procedures to address ulcerative colitis, which only allowed him to pitch in 11 games toward the end of the year. Even so, Diekman provided a strong presence at the back of the bullpen, posting a 2.53 ERA and 1.31 WHIP in 10.2 innings, positioning himself for a potential breakthrough as a setup man in 2018.
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Alex Colome RP | CHW
Rays' Alex Colome: Avoids arbitration
Colome agreed to a one-year, $5.3 million deal with the Rays on Friday, avoiding arbitration, Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports reports.
This was the first year he was an arbitration-eligible player. Colome recorded 47 saves during the 2017 campaign, posting a 3.24 ERA and 1.20 WHIP over 66.2 innings as Tampa Bay's ninth-inning man. He has been rumored to be on the trading block all offseason, as the typically frugal Rays have been adamant about trimming their payroll. Keep an eye on his situation, but regardless, Colome will have solid value heading into 2018.
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Trevor May RP | ATH
Twins' Trevor May: Avoids arbitration with Twins
May (elbow) agreed to a one-year, $650,000 contract with the Twins on Friday, avoiding arbitration, the Star Tribune reports.
May missed all of 2017 after suffering a torn UCL in spring training, resulting in Tommy John surgery. He resumed throwing last August and has been gradually increasing his intensity and throwing distance, advancing out to 105 feet in mid-November. The Twins could, theoretically, expedite May's return by preparing him for a bullpen role, but they are expected to stretch him out as a starter.
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Ryan Pressly RP | CHC
Twins' Ryan Pressly: Avoids arbitration
Pressly agreed to a one-year, $1.6 million contract with the Twins on Friday, avoiding arbitration, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.
The right-hander will receive a $425,000 pay increase in his second year of arbitration eligibility. Pressly averages close to 96 mph with his fastball and gets good spin on his breaking pitches. He was roughed up early on in 2017, but finished with a 2.62 ERA and .247 wOBA in the second half, putting him in line for a more prominent role in the Twins' bullpen to begin 2018.
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Aaron Loup RP | LAA
Blue Jays' Aaron Loup: Avoids arbitration
Loup signed a one-year, $1.8 million deal with the Blue Jays on Thursday to avoid arbitration, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.
Loup appeared in 70 games out of the Blue Jays' bullpen in 2017, posting a solid 3.75 ERA over 57.2 innings. He fanned roughly a quarter of the batters he faced but also issued free passes at a career-worst 10.9 percent clip. He'll see plenty of action out of the Toronto bullpen again in 2018.
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Tommy Kahnle RP | BOS
Yankees' Tommy Kahnle: Avoids arbitration with Yankees
Kahnle agreed to a one-year, $1.312,500 million deal with the Yankees on Thursday, avoiding arbitration, Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports reports.
Kahnle appeared in 69 games split between the Yankees and White Sox last year, posting a 2.59 ERA and 1.12 WHIP with a 96:17 K:BB over 62.2 innings of relief work. The 28-year-old finished off the season strong with the Bronx Bombers after coming over in July, and is set to serve in a high-leverage setup role in 2018.