Nolan Arenado, Colorado Rockies agree to 1-year deal

Nolan Arenado produces big numbers whether he steps into the batter’s box or up to the negotiating table.

The All-Star third baseman and the Colorado Rockies agreed to a $26 million deal to avoid arbitration on Thursday, the largest one-year salary for an arbitration-eligible player.

“It’s a great number. Very happy,” Arenado wrote in a message to The Associated Press.

He and his side met with Rockies owner Dick Monfort and general manager Jeff Bridich to hammer out the historic deal.

Josh Donaldson set the previous mark at $23 million with Toronto last season. The 27-year-old Arenado was set to pass that record even if he went to arbitration. Arenado asked for $30 million earlier this month, while the Rockies offered $24 million. “Means a lot, we had good dialogue,” Arenado said. “Very honest, very straight forward. Everyone has tough skin and sometimes you have to in business and I realized that firsthand. Was great.”

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Arenado becomes eligible for free agency after the 2019 season and figures to be the top player on the market next off-season.

That is, if he and the Rockies can’t work out a deal beforehand. The free-agent market has been highly unpredictable the past few offseasons, with Bryce Harper, Manny Machado and many other free agents still without deals as spring training rapidly approaches.

Arenado has won a Gold Glove at third base in each of his six major league seasons. He is a career .291 hitter with 186 home runs, 616 RBIs and an .886 OPS. He batted .297 with an NL-leading 38 homers last season, finishing third in MVP voting while making $17.85 million. Even more, he helped Colorado to a second straight post-season appearance and nearly the team’s first NL West title, before losing in a tiebreaker at Los Angeles in Game No. 163. The Rockies advanced by beating the Chicago Cubs in the NL wild-card game. They were swept by the Milwaukee Brewers in the Division Series.

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