Pirates avoid arbitration hearings, agree to contract terms with nine players

The Pittsburgh Pirates avoided any salary arbitration hearings this year, agreeing to contract terms with nine players Friday.

The Pirates signed pitchers Steven Brault, Kyle Crick, Chad Kuhl, Joe Musgrove, Richard Rodriguez and Chris Stratton, second baseman Adam Frazier, first baseman Colin Moran and catcher Jacob Stallings to one-year deals.

Musgrove received the highest salary at $4.45 million, after the right-hander went 1-5 with a 3.86 ERA in eight starts and leading the team in strikeouts (55) and fewest walks (16) among starters. He was scheduled to earn $2.8 million last year, prior to players agreeing to prorated terms in the shortened season.

Frazier, a Gold Glove finalist for the second consecutive year, is next at $4.3 million, a bump from his $2.8 million from last season. Moran got the biggest raise, agreeing to $2.8 million after leading the Pirates in home runs (10) and tying Frazier for the RBIs lead (23). That’s $2.2 million more than the $593,500 Moran was to make last season.

Stallings, also a Gold Glove finalist, agreed to $1.3 million after hitting .248 with seven doubles, three homers and 18 RBIs and earning a reputation for his pitch calling, framing and blocking and throwing out base runners.

Also getting a significant bump was Brault, as the lefty was voted the team’s top pitcher after going 1-3 with a 3.38 ERA in 10 starts, including a complete game victory. Brault increased his salary from $590,500 to $2.05 million. Righty Chad Kuhl will earn $2.13 million after going 2-3 with a 4.27 ERA in nine starts.

Rodriguez, a righty reliever, agreed to $1.7 million after going 3-2 with a 2.70 ERA and four saves in 24 games while serving as the closer after injuries to Keone Kela and Kyle Crick. Stratton increased his salary from $588,500 to $1.1 million, while Crick got a bump from $590,000 to $800,000 after pitching in only seven games.

The Pirates entered the offseason with 19 players eligible for arbitration but signed pitchers Jameson Taillon ($2.25 million) and Michael Feliz ($1 million) and shortstop Erik Gonzalez ($1.225 million) to deals in December.

They parted ways with seven others, trading first baseman Josh Bell to the Washington Nationals for two pitching prospects, losing reliever Nick Tropeano on waivers and designating reliever Nick Burdi, catchers Luke Maile and John Ryan Murphy, infielder Jose Osuna and starting pitcher Trevor Williams for assignment.