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MIAMI (AP) — Miami Marlins ace Jose Fernandez avoided arbitration by agreeing to a $2.8 million contract for 2016, a big increase over his salary of $651,000 last year.
The Marlins' other five arbitration-eligible players also reached one-year deals, the team said Friday.
Fernandez returned from Tommy John surgery at midseason last year and went 6-1 with a 2.92 ERA in 11 starts. The Marlins have so far resisted trade overtures for him this offseason.
He will receive bonuses of $50,000 for making 23 and 25 starts, and $100,000 if he makes 27 starts.
Also reaching agreements were shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria, and right-handers Tom Koehler, David Phelps, A.J. Ramos and Carter Capps.
Second baseman Dee Gordon avoided arbitration this week when he agreed to a $50 million, five-year contract. He gets a $1.5 million signing bonus payable on June 30, 2021, and salaries of $3 million this year, $7.5 million in 2017, $10.5 million in 2018, $13 million in 2019 and $13.5 million in 2020.
The club has an option in 2021 for $14 million, with a $1 million buyout. The option becomes guaranteed if he has 1,200 plate appearances in 2019-20 combined, or 600 in 2020, and finishes 2020 season on the active roster.
Hechavarria agreed to a $2,625,000 deal after making $1.925,000 last year, when he batted a career high .281.
Like Fernandez, Koehler and Ramos received big raises. Koehler, who went 11-14 with a 4.08 ERA, agreed to a $3.5 million deal after making $555,000 last year. Ramos, who became a closer for the first time in 2015 and had 32 saves, agreed to $3.4 million after making $530,000 a year ago.
Phelps received a raise to $2.5 million from $1.4 million in 2015. Capps will make $987,500.
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