Mariners reach deals with all 3 arb-eligibles
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The Mariners agreed to terms with all three of their arbitration-eligible players on Friday, signing shortstop J.P. Crawford, catcher Tom Murphy and right-hander Rafael Montero to one-year deals. Every 40-man roster player is now under contract for the 2021 season.
Friday was the deadline for clubs and eligible-arbitration players to exchange contract figures, and the Mariners were able to avoid arbitration hearings with all three players. The club hasn’t gone to a hearing since 2014 with Tom Wilhelmsen.
Crawford, 26, won his first Gold Glove Award at shortstop in 2020 and batted .255/.336/.338 with two homers and six stolen bases in 53 games. Crawford had a salary of $575,800 in 2020 and is set to get a raise to $2.05 million, a source told MLB.com's Mark Feinsand. He’s eligible for arbitration thrice more as a Super Two player.
Murphy missed the 2020 season with a fractured metatarsal in his left foot but had a breakout year in '19, when he batted .273/.324/.535 with 18 homers and 40 RBIs in 75 games. It's the first time Murphy, 29, has been eligible for arbitration, making him eligible two more times. His contract figure has not been reported.
Montero, acquired in a trade with the Rangers on Dec. 15, is in his final year of arbitration, making him a free agent after the 2021 season. He posted a 4.08 ERA with 19 strikeouts in 17 2/3 innings with the Rangers in 2020 and will get a bump in salary from $785,000 to $2.25 million in '21, according to MLB.com's Mark Feinsand.