MLB Player News

Lugo signed a one-year, $2.925 million contract with the Mets on Friday to avoid arbitration, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports.

The 31-year-old gets a raise for 2021 after posting a career-worst 5.15 ERA last season. Lugo was shifted between the bullpen and starting rotation last season with poor results. The right-hander has found more success in the majors as a reliever, so the Mets could leave him in the bullpen for a high-leverage role in 2021.

Musgrove agreed to a one-year, $4.45 million contract with the Pirates on Friday, avoiding arbitration.

The Pirates' potential Opening Day starter heading into his age-28 season, Musgrove logged a 3.86 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 55:16 K:BB in 39.2 innings last season. His strikeout rate jumped from 21.9 percent in 2019 to 33.1 percent in 2020, and if those gains hold even a little, he could be in for a career year.

Mahle agreed to a one-year, $2.2 million contract with the Reds on Friday, avoiding arbitration, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.

Mahle will get a nice raise coming off a breakout 2020 season in which he logged a 3.59 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 60 strikeouts in 47.2 innings. Most projection systems are bearish on his 2021 production, predicting something closer to his career 4.68 ERA and 1.40 WHIP, but if Mahle can maintain his significant gains in strikeout rate (up to 29.9 percent), he should beat those projections by quite a bit.

Woodruff agreed to a one-year contract with the Brewers on Friday, avoiding arbitration.

Woodruff ranked seventh in the majors in innings (73.2) and ninth in K-BB% (24.9) last season, so he is rightfully being treated like an ace in fantasy drafts. He is certainly the Brewers' ace, and the one starting pitcher on the team who can be reliably counted on to log five-plus innings per outing.

Fried signed a one-year, $3.5 million deal with the Braves on Friday to avoid arbitration, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.

The left-hander received a sizable figure in his first year of arbitration eligibility after posting a 2.25 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 50:10 K:BB over 56 innings last season. Fried is poised to open the 2021 campaign as Atlanta's ace.

Freeland signed a one-year, $5.025 million contract with the Rockies on Friday to avoid arbitration, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.

The left-hander rebounded last season with a 4.33 ERA, 1.42 WHIP and 46:23 K:BB over 70.2 inning after posting a 6.73 ERA in 2019. Freeland is essentially a lock to begin 2021 in Colorado's starting rotation.

Gray (shoulder) and the Rockies avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $6 million contract Friday, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.

Gray won't be getting much of a raise compared to the $5.6 million he made last season, but that appears to be deserved based on his 2020 performance. In eight starts, he struggled to a 6.69 ERA, striking out just 12.6 percent of opposing batters. The Rockies will be looking for him to return to his 2019 form going forward, as he posted a 3.84 ERA while striking out a respectable 23.5 percent of opposing batters that season.

Lorenzen signed a one-year, $4.438 million contract with the Reds on Friday to avoid arbitration, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.

The 28-year-old is in his final year of arbitration eligibility and was able to reach a deal with the Reds ahead of Friday's deadline. Lorenzen entered the big leagues as a starter in 2015 but has worked as a reliever and occasional position player/pinch hitter over the past five seasons, but he's expected to be a member of the starting rotation in 2021.

Velasquez signed a one-year, $4 million deal with the Phillies on Friday, avoiding arbitration, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.

Now heading into his seventh big-league season, Velasquez has never had that anticipated breakout, but he's remained just useful enough for the Phillies to keep him around at a fairly low price. His 5.56 ERA in 34 innings last season was a career high, though his 4.16 FIP and 4.07 xFIP painted a much more optimistic picture, as did his career-high 29.9 percent strikeout rate.

Wood signed a one-year, major-league deal with the Giants on Thursday.

Wood is joining his third team in as many seasons, though he spent the 2020 campaign with the Dodgers. Working primarily out of the bullpen, he posted a 6.39 ERA with 15 strikeouts and six walks across 12.2 frames. Wood will likely have the chance to compete for a rotation spot with the Giants, but should be a solid middle reliever for the club at a minimum.