Schoop, Orioles Agree To $8.5M Deal, Avoid Arbitration
BALTIMORE (AP) — Second baseman Jonathan Schoop and the Baltimore Orioles have agreed to an $8.5 million, one-year contract.
The deal Tuesday was $250,000 above the midpoint between the $9 million Schoop asked for and the $7.5 million offered by the Orioles when the sides exchanged proposed salaries last month. Schoop can earn additional award bonuses.
A hearing had been scheduled for Thursday in Phoenix.
The 26-year-old made $3.55 million last year, when he was a first-time All-Star and hit .293 with 32 homers and 105 RBIs. He played in 160 games last season after participating in all 162 in 2016.
Schoop has a .264 career batting average with 89 homers and 272 RBIs. He is eligible for free agency after the 2019 season.
Baltimore right-hander Kevin Gausman remains scheduled for a hearing.
___
More MLB baseball: https://apnews.com/tags/MLBbaseball
(Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
