Astros avoid arbitration with 7 players

HOUSTON -- The Astros agreed to one-year contracts with seven of their 10 arbitration-eligible players ahead of Friday's filing deadline with outfielder Jake Marisnick and right-handed pitchers Will Harris, Lance McCullers Jr., Collin McHugh, Roberto Osuna, Brad Peacock and Ryan Pressly reaching deals for 2019.
The Astros were unable to come to terms with contracts with shortstop Carlos Correa and right-handed pitchers Gerrit Cole and Chris Devenski, meaning all three are headed to an arbitration hearing. Teams are allowed to negotiate contracts with the players until a hearing, but the Astros are a file-and-trial club, meaning they are content with each case going to a hearing at this point.
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Terms of the deals weren't released, but sources told MLB.com that McCullers will get $4.1 million and Harris $4.225 million for this season. McCullers will miss all of 2019 following Tommy John surgery.
"It is an arduous and time-consuming process," assistant general manager Brandon Taubman said. "I think the average club has six players going to arbitration, but we had nearly double that. It's a testament to the fact we have a really young, talented team, and it's a good thing we have a lot of maturing players that are due a bunch of money. It's a good spot to be in."
Last year, the Astros were unable to reach a deal with outfielder George Springer, pitcher Ken Giles and McHugh prior to the settle deadline. Giles and McHugh prevailed in their arbitration hearings. It was the second year in a row an arbitrator sided with McHugh, and Springer later signed a two-year deal that takes him through this season.
Correa, Cole and Devenski will have their 2019 salaries determined by a three-person panel of independent arbiters. Both sides will present a case, and the panel will select either the players' offer or the team's counter-offer.