The Boston Red Sox Avoid Arbitration with Ryan Sweeney and Jarrod Saltalamacchia

The Boston Red Sox have come to terms with two arbitration eligible players this week. The newly acquired RF Ryan Sweeney, who came over in the trade with the Oakland A’s that also netted Andrew Bailey, signed a one year $1.75M deal with the Red Sox, avoiding his first arbitration hearing. Catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia also avoid a first arbitration hearing, taking a generous one year $2.5M deal with the team. Boston has eight other arbitration eligiable players including Bailey and stars like David Ortiz, Jacoby Ellsbury and Daniel Bard. In past off-seasons, the team has largely avoided hearings, preferring to settle with their players rather than risk having to argue against a player’s value in a hearing. The deals are both on the generous side for Boston. MLB Trade Rumors’ Matt Swartz had projected Sweeney to make $1.6M through the arbitration process, and he did slightly better. Salty, however, made off extremely well in this deal. The 26 year old catcher was projected to earn $...