Report: Dodgers, A.J. Ellis avoid arbitration with $4.25 million deal
The Los Angeles Dodgers and catcher A.J. Ellis avoided salary arbitration by agreeing to a one-year deal worth $4.25 million on Tuesday, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
Tuesday was MLB's official salary arbitration filing day. Teams and players will exchange salary figures on Friday and then determine if an arbitration hearing is needed. According to Ken Gurnick of MLB.com, Ellis is the first of six arbitration-eligible Dodgers to sign at $4.25 million.
Ellis, who will turn 34 in April, hit .191 with three home runs and 25 RBI in 2014, his third season as the Dodgers' everyday catcher. He was limited by injuries to 93 games, undergoing surgery in April to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee and spraining his right ankle while celebrating Josh Beckett's no-hitter on May 25.
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Ellis has been with the Dodgers for all seven of his Major League seasons. For his career, he's hit .242 with 28 home runs, 157 RBI and a .694 OPS.
The Dodgers went 94-68 last season, winning the NL West before losing in the NLDS to the St. Louis Cardinals.
- Mike Fiammetta
