UNDATED (AP) — Catcher Willson Contreras and the Chicago Cubs avoided an arbitration hearing by agreeing to a one-year contract for $9.625 million. The agreement is at the midpoint between the $10.25 million the 30-year-old Contreras had asked for and the $9 million the Cubs had offered when figures were exchanged.
Contreras hit .237 with 21 homers and 57 RBIs in 128 games last season. He led National League catchers in assists for the third time. The two-time All-Star is batting .277 with 10 homers and 23 RBIs this season.
In other baseball news:
— Catcher Gary Sánchez and the Minnesota Twins have agreed to a $9 million, one-year contract. The deal avoids an arbitration hearing that had been scheduled for next week. The agreement was at the midpoint of the $9.5 million Sánchez had asked for and the $8.5 million offered by the Twins. Sánchez hit .204 with 23 homers and 54 RBIs last year for the New York Yankees. They traded him to the Twins in March. Sánchez has a .224 batting average, seven homers and 27 RBIs this season.
— Pitcher Lucas Sims lost to the Cincinnati Reds in salary arbitration and will get $1.2 million instead of his $1.6 million request, leaving clubs with a 7-3 advantage in decisions. Sims was 5-3 with a 4.40 ERA and seven saves in 10 chances last season. He has been sidelined by a back injury for much of this season. Aaron Judge, Max Fried, Jacob Stallings, Jesse Winker and Nicky Lopez remain scheduled for hearings.
