Astros agree to 1-year deals with 6 players, including All-Stars Framber Valdez and Kyle Tucker

Houston (AP) — On Thursday, the Houston Astros reached an agreement to avoid arbitration with six players, including outfielder Kyle Tucker and All-Star lefty Framber Valdez, on one-year contracts.

The following season, Valdez would earn $12.1 million. Tucker’s compensation is $12 million.

The Astros also agreed to terms with pitchers Bryan Abreu ($1.75 million), Luis Garcia ($1,875,000), and José Urquidy ($3.75 million), as well as outfielder Chas McCormick ($2.85 million).

Valdez has been one of the American League’s best pitchers over the past two seasons, making the All-Star team and finishing in the top 10 of AL Cy Young Award voting both years. He was 12-11 with a 3.45 ERA last season.

Tucker, a two-time All-Star, led the AL with 112 RBIs while hitting .284 with 29 homers and 30 stolen bases last year. The only Astros player eligible for arbitration who failed to reach a deal was utilityman Maurico Dubón. He asked for $3.5 million and Houston offered $3 million when teams and players swapped 2024 salary proposals Thursday.

Dubón has the option to reach an agreement with the club prior to the hearing. In Scottsdale, Arizona, hearings before three-person panels will be arranged for eligible players who have not signed contracts between January 29 and February 16.

There is still a ton of elite talent available in the MLB free agent pool on both sides, despite Shota Imanaga signing with the Chicago Cubs. Do you need assistance with rotation?Marcus Stroman, Jordan Montgomery, and Blake Snell are still up for grabs. Require a superior closer?Your man is Josh Hader. Are you seeking for solid pop?Rhys Hoskins, Cody Bellinger, and Matt Chapman are still there.

Despite all the big names though, the free agency period is moving noticeably slowly. Every time a big-name sign somewhere, it seems like we need to wait another week before anybody else makes a move, which is shocking considering how many big-market teams have still yet to make an impact signing. The Rangers and Blue Jays have yet to make any considerable moves. Even teams rumored to sell like the White Sox and Brewers have yet to give away any of their high-end talent.

Nonetheless, as the start of spring training draws nearer every day, there is bound to be some big moves just around the corner. Here are the latest rumors surrounding the top MLB free agents as well as potential trade pieces.

Five teams are in on Marcus Stroman

Jon Heyman took to MLB Network to reveal that there are five teams currently in the conversation to land the two-time All-Star. The Yankees and superstar outfielder Juan Soto have reached an agreement on a one-year deal to avoid arbitration, according to numerous reports.

Soto is set to receive a record-setting $31M this season, which is now the most an arbitration-eligible player has ever received, topping Shohei Ohtani’s $30M deal he signed with the Angles last season.

The 25-year-old is set to reach free agency at the end of this season, but for now, he’ll make up one of the best one-two punches in baseball alongside Aaron Judge.

The third outfielder next to them who was acquired in a trade with the division rival Red Sox, Alex Verdugo, also came to terms with his new team on a $8.7M deal for this season.

Along with those two, the Yanks also reached agreements with the following players:

• LHP Victor Gonzalez – $860,000
• OF Trent Grisham – $5.5M
• RHP Clay Holmes – $6M
• LHP Nestor Cortes – $3.95M
• 2B Gleyber Torres – $14.2M
• RHP Jonathan Loaisiga – $2.5M
• RHP Clarke Schmidt – $2.025M
• C Jose Trevino – $2.73M

New York had 10 arbitration-eligible players this offseason and they were able to come to terms on a deal for the 2024 season with all of them to avoid going to a hearing.

There was no bigger hype in spring ball in Ann Arbor than for one specific Michigan football player.

Amorion Walker, a wide receiver for the Wolverines who was switching from offense to defense and would be playing cornerback, was the topic of conversation during the spring. Heaved upon were high expectations.Jim Harbaugh gushed about Walker’s potential as a long, rangy, quick cornerback, calling him “a unicorn.” His coaches praised him too.

Walker, however, did not matriculate, did not develop into the next great starter, and did not emulate nickel back Mike Sainristil.

Walker has reportedly joined the transfer window in search of a different opportunity.Walker is a loss on both sides of the ball since Michigan might benefit from having a tall, quick receiver in place of Will Johnson or a cornerback. Walker, a native of Louisiana, is one of the three receivers that Michigan signed.

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