This afternoon marks the deadline for teams around Major League Baseball and arbitration eligible players to exchange the figures that they will present to an arbitration panel later this spring to determine their salary for the 2025 season. That is, unless the two sides can agree to a contract beforehand. And that’s just what happened today between the Cincinnati Reds and closer Alexis Diaz. Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports that the right-handed reliever and the club have agreed to a 1-year deal worth $4,500,000. Mark Sheldon of Reds.com also reports that Brady Singer and the Reds avoid arbitration by agreeing to a 1-year deal for $8,750,000.
The Reds later came to agreements with Jose Trevino ($3,425,000), Gavin Lux ($3,325,000), Jake Fraley ($3,125,000), Sam Moll ($1,007,500) and Nick Lodolo ($1,975,000). They have not come to an agreement with catcher Tyler Stephenson.
Let’s start things off by pointing out that this does not change anything about when any of these players will reach free agency. This was the first season in which Diaz was arbitration eligible and he will remain under team control through the 2027 season. Singer is a free agent following the 2026 season.
Among the group who signed deals later in the day, only Jose Trevino is a free agent following the 2025 season. Gavin Lux, Jake Fraley, and Tyler Stephenson would all be free agents following the 2026 season. Nick Lodolo and Sam Moll would be free agents after the 2027 season.
What this agreement does is simply avoid the Reds and the players representatives from going in front of a panel of arbiters and arguing that the player is or isn’t worth what is being asked for in salary by that side. It can sometimes be an ugly situation – ask Corbin Burnes about his feelings with the Brewers front office after how they presented their argument over what turned out to be chump change for an elite pitcher.
What this agreement also does is help the Reds understand their budget a little bit better between now and the start of spring training. President of Baseball Operations Nick Krall told the media earlier this week that Cincinnati has a little bit of financial flexibility, but not a ton. That was followed up by noting that the money saved on the draft pick they traded – roughly $2,600,000 – could be put toward the big league payroll. That tells you just how tight the purse strings are right now.
Diaz is not the only player who is, or in his case, was arbitration eligible. Newcomers Jose Trevino, and Gavin Lux are eligible, as are Jake Fraley, Tyler Stephenson, Nick Lodolo, and Sam Moll.
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