The Chicago White Sox have agreed to one-year
contracts with infielder Brett Lawrie and reliever Dan Jennings,
avoiding arbitration.
Lawrie's deal is for $4,125,000, more than double his $1,925,000
salary last season with Oakland. Jennings gets $810,000.
Acquired from the Athletics in December, Lawrie set career bests in
virtually every category last season - his first with the A's. He
batted .260 with 16 home runs, 60 RBIs and 64 runs. He made 106
starts at third base and 40 at second.
Jennings went 2-3 with a 3.99 ERA in 53 appearances for Chicago
last season, when his salary was $523,000.
The White Sox have two other players who filed for arbitration:
outfielder Avisail Garcia and pitcher Zach Putnam.
Free agent shortstop Alexei Ramirez has agreed to
terms of a one-year contract with the San Diego Padres, pending
passing a physical.
The 34-year-old Ramirez had spent his entire eight-year career with
the Chicago White Sox.
Ramirez was an All-Star in 2014. His average dropped to a
career-low .249 last year.