The Pirates agreed to a 2019 contract with Corey Dickerson, according to a source, avoiding arbitration with the Gold Glove left fielder.
Dickerson will make $8.5 million in 2019, a source said, in his third year of arbitration. He made $5.95 million last season.
The Pirates also settled with their other arbitration-eligible player, reliever Keone Kela, for $3,175,000.
Dickerson, 29, won his first Gold Glove award in 2018, his first season with the Pirates, and hit .300 with 13 home runs and a .330 on-base percentage. He will reach free agency after this season.
Kela, 25, struck out 22 batters in 15⅓ innings after joining the Pirates in a trade with the Texas Rangers at the July 31 deadline. In 16 appearances, working mostly the seventh and eighth innings, Kela allowed runs in only two games. He made $1.2 million last year in his first year of arbitration.
The Pirates also claimed right-hander Aaron Slegers off waivers from the Minnesota Twins and designated righty Dario Agrazal for assignment. Slegers, 26, allowed eight runs and 17 hits in 13⅔ innings for the Twins last season. He had a 3.80 ERA in 15 starts for Class AAA Rochester.
Bill Brink: bbrink@post-gazette.com and Twitter @BrinkPG.
First Published: January 11, 2019, 7:55 p.m.
