Rockies avoid arbitration with Gomber, Feltner, Lawrence
DENVER – The Rockies reached one-year deals with left-handed starting pitcher Austin Gomber, right-handed starter Ryan Feltner and righty reliever Justin Lawrence to avoid arbitration ahead of Thursday’s deadline for unsigned players to exchange figures with their clubs.
Gomber, 31, avoided arbitration in his final year of eligibility by agreeing for $6.35 million, according to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, citing a source. Also according to a source, Feltner, 28, reached a $2.275 million agreement in his first year of arbitration, and Lawrence, in his first year of arbitration, agreed at $975,000. The club did not confirm financial details.
Lawrence was a Super 2 arbitration player. While most players become eligible after three years’ service time, Lawrence became eligible because his service time was in the top 22 percent of players with three years or fewer.
Additionally, righty reliever Jimmy Herget, claimed off waivers from the Cubs in November, had already agreed to an $850,000 one-year contract. In November, the club avoided arbitration with one-year deals with outfielder Sam Hilliard ($1 million) and lefty reliever Lucas Gilbreath ($785,000).