Red Sox Avoid Arbitration With Bogaerts, Bradley And 5 Others
BOSTON (AP) — Shortstop Xander Bogaerts agreed to a $4.5 million salary and outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. to $3.6 million as seven Boston players avoided arbitration by agreeing to one-year deals with the Red Sox.
Boston also reached agreements with infielder Brock Holt ($1.95 million), catcher Sandy Leon ($1.3 million) and pitchers Joe Kelly ($2.8 million), Robbie Ross Jr. ($1,825,000) and Tyler Thornburg ($2.05 million).
Left-handers Fernando Abad and Drew Pomeranz are the team's only arbitration-eligible players remaining. Abad asked for $2.7 million and was offered $2 million, and Pomeranz requested $5.7 million while Boston submitted $3.6 million — the largest gap among players who swapped figures.
Bogaerts posted career highs last year in home runs (21), on-base percentage (.356) and slugging percentage (.446). Bradley hit .267 with 26 homers and 87 RBIs.
In addition to his salaries, Kelly could earn $50,000 in performance bonuses: $25,000 each for five starts or 50 pitching appearances and 10 starts or 55 pitching appearances.
The Red Sox also announced Friday that they have extended their player development contract with the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs an additional two years, keeping the affiliate there through 2020.
