Baseball-Major League Baseball roundup

Jan 15 (The Sports Xchange) - Washington right-hander Stephen Strasburg avoided arbitration with the Nationals by agreeing to a one-year, $10.4 million contract on Friday. Strasburg, 27, is eligible for free agency after the season and agent Scott Boras is expected to encourage him to test the market. The 2016 salary is $3 million more than what Strasburg made last season when he went 11-7 with a 3.46 ERA. Washington also agreed to a one-year, $2.8 million deal with third baseman Anthony Rendon. -- American League Cy Young Award winner Dallas Keuchel avoided arbitration with the Houston Astros by reportedly agreeing to a one-year, $7.25 million contract. The amount is the highest ever garnered by a first-time arbitration-eligible starting pitcher. David Price and Dontrelle Willis shared the previous high of $4.35 million. Keuchel went 20-8 with a 2.48 ERA in 2015. Houston also agreed to one-year deals with third baseman Luis Valbuena ($6.125 million), shortstop Marwin Gonzalez ($2 million) and right-hander Josh Fields ($900,000). -- New York Mets pitcher Matt Harvey avoided arbitration with the Mets by agreeing to a one-year, $4.325 million deal. Harvey made $614,000 last season while going 13-8 with a 2.71 ERA in his return from Tommy John elbow surgery and helped the Mets reach the World Series. New York also reached one-year deals with right-hander Addison Reed ($5.3 million), shortstop Ruben Tejada ($3 million) among others. -- The St. Louis Cardinals and closer Trevor Rosenthal avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $5.6 million contact. Rosenthal set a franchise-record with 48 saves last season while earning $535,000. The Cardinals also reached terms with first baseman/outfielder Brandon Moss on a one-year, $8.25 million deal. -- The San Diego Padres avoided arbitration with starting pitchers Tyson Ross and Andrew Cashner and are close to signing free-agent reliever Fernando Rodney to a one-year deal. Ross agreed to a one-year, $9.625 million contract and Cashner accepted a one-year, $7.15 million deal. -- The Baltimore Orioles agreed to terms with third baseman Manny Machado and three other players. The one-year deal with Machado is worth $5 million and comes in Machado's first year of arbitration eligibility. He made $548,000 last season. Baltimore also avoided arbitration by agreeing to one-year deals with pitchers Chris Tillman ($6.225 million) and Miguel Gonzalez ($5.1 million). -- The Pittsburgh Pirates avoided arbitration with All-Star closer Mark Melancon and four other players. Melancon, who led the majors with 51 saves last season, agreed to a one-year deal worth $9.65 million. -- The Miami Marlins avoided arbitration with star pitcher Jose Fernandez by agreeing to terms on a one-year, $2.8 million deal. Fernandez made $651,000 last season when he returned from Tommy John elbow surgery and went 6-1 with a 2.92 ERA in 11 starts. Miami also agreed to terms with right-hander Tom Koehler (one-year, $3.5 million), right-hander A.J. Ramos (one-year, $3.4 million) and shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria (one-year, $2.625 million) prior to Friday's deadline to avoid arbitration. -- The Kansas City Royals reached a deal with left-hander Danny Duffy but third baseman Mike Moustakas and center fielder Lorenzo Cain are headed to arbitration. Duffy agreed to a one-year deal worth $4.225 million. -- The Los Angeles Dodgers avoided arbitration with closer Kenley Jansen by agreeing on a one-year, $10.65 million contract. Jansen, who posted 36 saves while making $7.4 million last season, is slated to be a free agent after the season. The Dodgers also reached one-year deals with third baseman Justin Turner ($5.1 million) and catcher Yasmani Grandal ($2.8 million). -- The Colorado Rockies avoided arbitration with third baseman Nolan Arenado by agreeing to a one-year, $5 million deal. Arenado, paid $512,500 last year, led the majors with 130 RBIs last season and played in his first All-Star Game. He hit 42 homers to tie Washington's Bryce Harper for most in the National League. -- American League MVP Josh Donaldson has filed for $11.8 million in arbitration after he and the Toronto Blue Jays were narrowly unable to reach agreement prior to Friday's deadline. The Blue Jays countered by submitting an offer of $11.35 million. Toronto agreed to one-year deals with right-handers Drew Storen ($8.375 million), Drew Hutchison ($2.2 million) and Steve Delabar ($835,000), left-handers Brett Cecil ($3.8 million) and Aaron Loup ($1.05 million) and outfielder Michael Saunders ($2.9 million). (Editing by Larry Fine) ))