MLB notes: Justin Turner, Dodgers finalize $64M, 4-year contract

LOS ANGELES – Third baseman Justin Turner and the Los Angeles Dodgers have finalized their $64 million, four-year contract.

Turner gets a $4 million signing bonus, payable Dec. 31, under the agreement completed Friday, and salaries of $12 million next year, $11 million in 2018, $18 million in 2019 and $19 million in 2020.

He would get a $1 million assignment bonus each time he is traded.

“JT has been, and will continue to be, a vital part of the Dodgers on the field, in the clubhouse and in the community,” Los Angeles President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman said in a statement. “His talent, work ethic, leadership and instincts for the game embodies a lot of what we look for in a Dodger player.”

Los Angeles also has a pending $80 million, five-year agreement with closer Kenley Jansen. The deals raise the Dodgers’ projected luxury tax payroll to $230 million next year, in line for a tax of about $19 million.

The 32-year-old Turner spent two seasons with Baltimore and four with the New York Mets, then became a free agent when the Mets failed to offer a 2014 contract. A Southern California native who attended Cal State Fullerton, he signed a $1 million, one-year deal with the Dodgers, hit .340 in 109 games, and took over as the starting third baseman.

Turner hit .275 with 27 homers and 90 RBIs this year, batted .400 with five RBIs in the Division Series against Washington, then .200 with three RBIs in the League Championship Series loss to the Chicago Cubs. He failed to accept the Dodgers’ $17.2 million qualifying offer.

“Playing in Los Angeles has been special for me, and I want to continue to represent and give back to this community,” Turner said in a statement.

At the winter meetings, the Dodgers announced a $48 million, three-year contract with left-hander Rich Hill, acquired from Oakland at the trade deadline Aug. 1.

Ender Inciarte, Braves agree to $30.5M, 5-year contract

ATLANTA – Outfielder Ender Inciarte has avoided salary arbitration with the Atlanta Braves, agreeing to a $30,525,000, five-year contract.

The deal, announced Friday, covers four years of arbitration eligibility and one year of free agency, and gives Atlanta a club option for 2022.

Inciarte gets a $3.5 million signing bonus payable on Jan. 15 and salaries of $2 million next year, $4 million in 2018, $5 million in 2019, $7 million in 2020 and $8 million in 2021. The Braves’ 2022 option is for $9 million or a $1,025,000 buyout. He would earn $25,000 bonuses for winning a Gold Glove or being voted League Championship Series MVP, and $50,000 for becoming an All-Star or winning World Series MVP, Comeback Player of the Year or a Silver Slugger.

Tigers bring back catcher Alex Avila with $2M, 1-year deal

DETROIT – The Tigers are bringing back catcher Alex Avila with a $2 million, one-year contract.

Avila tells The Associated Press he is excited for the opportunity to back up James McCann. He says his family, including Tigers general manager Al Avila, will have something other than Christmas to celebrate this weekend at his home in Florida.

Detroit drafted Avila in 2008 and he hit .242 with 66 homers and 282 RBIs with the Tigers from 2009-15. He had career highs with a .295 batting average, 19 homers and 82 RBIs in 2011, when he was an All-Star. The 29-year-old, left-handed hitter departed Detroit as a free agent after the 2015 season. He played in 57 games for the Chicago White Sox this year, hitting .213 with seven homers and 11 RBIs.

Marlins finalize $16M, 2-year deal with pitcher Brad Ziegler

MIAMI – Right-hander Brad Ziegler’s $16 million, two-year contract with the Miami Marlins has been finalized after he passed a physical.

Ziegler reached an agreement last week on the deal, the latest involving the Marlins’ bid to upgrade their bullpen. They also gave right-hander Junichi Tazawa a $12 million, two-year contract.

Ziegler is a nine-year veteran with a career ERA of 2.44 and 85 saves. He has pitched for three teams, including Arizona and Boston last year, and is expected to compete with incumbent A.J. Ramos for the closer’s job.

Miami is hoping a deep bullpen will give manager Don Mattingly lots of options to help compensate for a rotation weakened by the loss of ace Jose Fernandez, killed in a boating accident in September. Left-hander Elvis Araujo was designated for assignment.

Outfielder Ben Revere agrees to $4M, 1-year deal with Angels

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Outfielder Ben Revere has agreed to a $4 million, one-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels, three weeks after Washington allowed him to become a free agent.

Revere can earn an additional $2.25 million in performance bonuses under the deal announced Friday. A left-handed hitter, he figures to back up Cameron Maybin, who bats from the right side.

Pirates claim reliever Nefi Ogando off waivers from Marlins

PITTSBURGH – The Pittsburgh Pirates claimed reliever Nefi Ogando off waivers from the Miami Marlins on Friday to give their bullpen another right-handed arm heading into spring training.

The 27-year-old Ogando posted a 2.30 ERA in 14 appearances for the Marlins this year. Ogando previously made four appearances as a September call-up for Philadelphia in 2015. The signing comes two days after Pittsburgh brought in former Arizona reliever Daniel Hudson to serve as the set-up man for closer Tony Watson.

To make room for Ogando on the 40-man roster, the Pirates designated infielder Jason Rogers for assignment. Rogers struggled to find a role with the Pirates this year, hitting .080 in 23 games.

Rise in MLB average salary lowest since 2004

NEW YORK – The rise in Major League Baseball’s average salary slowed this year as more players got hurt and wound up on the disabled list, leaving the increase at just under $14,000.

This season’s final average was $3,966,020, the Major League Baseball Players Association said Friday in its annual report, up just 0.35 percent from last year’s $3,952,252. That is the lowest rate of increase since a 2.5 percent drop in 2004.

The commissioner’s office has the Aug. 31 average at $3,825,967, down from $3,835,498 in 2015. The union includes a pro-rated share of option buyouts that may be earned if the option is declined, while MLB does not take those into account in its average.

MLB said total salaries increased from $3.58 billion last year to $3.69 billion for those on Aug. 31 rosters and disabled lists.

There were 964 players on active rosters and DLs on Aug. 31, the last day before the player limit expanded from 25 per team to 40. That is up from 933 last year, and most of the additional players have relatively little major league service time and earn close to the minimum, which was $507,500 this year.

Injuries caused 561 DL placements that led to more than 31,500 days spent on the DL this year, both records.

Baseball’s average salary declines during the season as some veterans are released and replaced by younger players. The union calculated the opening day average at $4,476,058 for 865 players and the commissioner’s office at $4,365,822 for 860. Since the union started tracking salaries in 1967, the final average has dropped just three times, also falling in 1987, a year teams were found by an arbitrator to have conspired against signing free agents, and 1995, following a 7 1/2-month players’ strike that decimated revenue. The 2004 drop was in the second season after a luxury tax was imposed to restrain spending by some clubs.