Reds reach deal with Yasiel Puig

The Cincinnati Reds avoided arbitration with Yasiel Puig, agreeing with the newly acquired outfielder on a $9.7 million contract for 2019.

The Reds also reached deals Friday with right-handers Tanner Roark ($10 million), Anthony DeSclafani ($2,125,000) and Michael Lorenzen ($1.95 million), second baseman Scooter Gennett ($9,775,000) and shortstop Jose Peraza ($2,775,000).

The Reds acquired Puig and Wood last month in a trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Cincinnati got Roark in a deal with Washington.

Puig hit .267 with 23 home runs and 63 RBI last season.

The club plans to go to an arbitration hearing next month with pitcher Alex Wood.

Major League Baseball imposed a 1 p.m. deadline for teams and players to avoid entering the arbitration process. Like most teams, the Reds employ a “file-and-trial” approach to Friday’s deadline, which means they won’t further negotiate a one-year deal. Wood and the Reds each filed salary figures and an arbitrator will choose which salary to award after a hearing. Wood requested $9.65 million and the Reds countered with $8.75 million. Wood had a $6 million salary last year.

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“We filed a number and we’re going to go to a case,” Reds general manager Nick Krall said. “That’s our policy. I’m not going to talk about where we were in negotiations, I don’t think that’s right. We filed a number and we’ll see what happens.”

The Reds had arbitration hearings with Gennett and Eugenio Suárez last season. Gennett won his case against the Reds and made $5.7 million during the 2018 season. Suárez lost his arbitration case, but he later agreed to a seven-year, $66 million contract extension prior to the 2018 season.

Wood, Gennett, Puig and Roark can all become free agents after the 2019 season. DeSclafani is under team control through the 2020 season.  “These are difficult negotiations with a lot at stake, and not just for the two parties directly involved,” Reds President of Baseball Operations Dick Williams said in a statement. “We are pleased to have settled seven of the eight cases and look forward to resolving the other one amicably through the arbitration process.”

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