Rangers avoid arbitration with Dyson, 6 others

ARLINGTON -- The Rangers reached agreements with all seven of their arbitration-eligible players Friday.
The Rangers reached one-year agreements with closer Sam Dyson at $3.52 million, pitcher A.J. Griffin at $2 million, catcher Robinson Chirinos at $1.95 million, reliever Jeremy Jeffress for $2.1 million, infielder Jurickson Profar at $1,005,000, reliever Tanner Scheppers at $975,000 and reliever Jake Diekman at $2.55 million.
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Some clubs won't negotiate once numbers are exchanged. The Rangers do not go by that "file and trial" strategy. They continue to negotiate right up until a hearing is scheduled.
Dyson was in his first year of arbitration eligibility after making $525,270 in 2016. He is coming off an outstanding season, finishing with 38 saves, a 2.43 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP in 73 games. He was third in the American League with 38 saves even though he didn't become the closer until mid-May.
Griffin is the leading candidate to be the Rangers' fifth starter. He was 7-4 with a 5.07 ERA in 23 starts for the Rangers last season.
Chirinos, who was bumped up from $1.55 million last year, played in 57 games for the Rangers last season and hit .224 with nine home runs and 20 RBIs. He was the Rangers' Opening Day catcher but enters this season as the backup to Jonathan Lucroy.
Scheppers is coming off three years of injuries but finished strong last season, going 1-1 with a 4.15 ERA in 10 appearances. The Rangers are expecting him to be a full strength going into Spring Training.
Jeffress was acquired from the Brewers on July 31. He pitched in 59 games and was 3-2 with a 2.33 ERA and 27 saves.
Profar played in 90 games as the Rangers' utility infielder and hit .239 with five home runs and 20 RBIs. He played 13 games at first, 15 at second, 16 at third, 10 at shortstop and 14 in the outfield.
Diekman was 4-2 with a 3.40 ERA and four saves in 66 appearances with Texas in 2016, his first full season with the club.