BRAVES NEWS
Braves avoid arbitration with three players.
Friday was the deadline for teams and arbitration eligible players to swap contract offers. The Braves avoided arbitration with Daniel Winkler and reliever Arodys Vizcaino. The team had already announced a deal for reliever Sam Freeman on Thursday.
Winkler received a one-year deal worth $610,000. Atlanta came to a $3.4 million agreement with Vizcaino while Freeman will receive $1.075 million.
The Braves however did not reach an agreement with starter Mike Foltynewicz and interestingly enough, the two sides were really close being just $100,000 apart. Foltynewicz asked for a salary at $2.3 million while the Braves settled at $2.2 million. If no deal is reached, an arbitrator will decide his salary for 2018.
Chip off the block: Dad led Jones to HOF path
MLB.com’s Joe Posnanski takes a look back at the career of Chipper Jones and how Chipper’s Dad was a key element in his success.
MLB NEWS
Blue Jays avoid arbitration with Josh Donaldson on record deal
The Blue Jays and Josh Donaldson avoided arbitration on Friday with a record deal of $23 million. That eclipsed Bryce Harper’s previous record of $21.625 million.
Cubs, Pirates have discussed Gerrit Cole trade
The Chicago Cubs are reportedly the latest team to hold trade talks with the Pirates in regards to starter Gerrit Cole. It looked like Cole was headed to Houston earlier this week but things cooled before a deal could be struck.