Tigers avoid arbitration with Iglesias
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DETROIT -- The Tigers' streak of avoiding arbitration will go on for at least another year. The team settled its last remaining potential case on Wednesday by signing shortstop José Iglesias to a one-year contract.
The team announced the agreement Wednesday night, continuing a stretch without an arbitration ruling that dates back to Chris Holt in 2001 -- the offseason before Dave Dombrowski took over as team president and the year before current Tigers general manager Al Avila joined the front office.
Iglesias was the last of six arbitration-eligible Tigers. The two sides exchanged salary proposals last Friday -- the Tigers filing at $5.6 million, Iglesias at $6.8 million. The two sides found an agreement close to the midpoint, agreeing on a one-year salary worth $6,275,000, according to a source.
On Friday, Detroit signed right-handers Shane Greene and Alex Wilson and right fielder Nick Castellanos to one-year contracts before signing Iglesias on Wednesday.
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Wilson will make $1,925,000, according to a source, while Greene will make $1,950,000. Castellanos will make $6.05 million.
The Tigers previously avoided arbitration with catcher James McCann with a one-year contract worth $2,375,000. Blaine Hardy and the Tigers avoided arbitration with a one-year contract in November.
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Iglesias, who turned 28 earlier this month, was eligible for arbitration for a third time. He batted .255 with career highs of 33 doubles and 54 RBIs. His .657 OPS was a 15-point bump from 2016, while his 1.6 WAR according to Fangraphs was a drop from 2016 to his 2015 level.
In the field, Iglesias' four defensive runs saved marked his best number as a Tiger in that metric.
The one-year contract might well be the last of the Tigers' contract dealings with Iglesias, who will be a free agency next offseason. Avila has indicated the Tigers are unlikely to re-sign him while they rebuild around younger, cost-controlling talent, instead moving infielder Dixon Machado into the role. Detroit has put Iglesias on the trade market the last two offseasons but hasn't found an offer to its liking.