Along With Price, Tigers Avoid Arbitration With Alfredo Simon, J.D. Martinez
DETROIT (CBS Detroit) – The Detroit Tigers announced Friday that the team agreed to 2015 contracts with left-handed starter David Price, right-handed pitcher Alfredo Simon and outfielder J.D. Martinez, avoiding arbitration with all three players.
Price's 2015 agreement was reported to be $19.75 million, making it the highest pre-arbitration figure in MLB history. Simon's deal is a reported $5.5 million contract and Martinez's is $3 million.
Price, 29, compiled a 15-12 record, 3.26 ERA, and 271 strikeouts in 34 games started between the Tigers and the Tampa Bay Rays in 2014. He led the American League with 248.1 innings pitched and 271 strikeouts, while he was tied for second with three complete games, third with 1.38 walks per nine innings, fourth with 9.82 strikeouts per nine innings and tied for fifth with 24 quality starts.
Price was selected to the American League All-Star team for the fourth time in his career in 2014.
Simon, 33, compiled a 15-10 record, 3.44 ERA and 127 strikeouts in 32 games started for the Cincinnati Reds in 2014. He posted a 12-3 record, 2.70 ERA and 75 strikeouts in the first half of the season to earn a spot on his first All-Star team.
The Tigers acquired Simon from the Reds on December 11 in exchange for infielder Eugenio Suarez and minor-league pitcher Jonathon Crawford.
Martinez, 27, batted .315 with 57 runs scored, 30 doubles, three triples, 23 home runs, and 76 RBI in 123 games for the Tigers in 2014. He established career highs in nearly every offensive category, including hits (139), doubles (30), home runs (23) and RBI (76) in 2014.
With the completion of the deals, right-handed relief pitcher Al Alburquerque remains the only arbitration-eligible player the Tigers have yet to settle with.
