Angels avoid arbitration with pitchers Hector Santiago, Cesar Ramos

Published Jan. 16, 2015 1:13 a.m. ET

foxsports

A pair of left-handed pitchers, starter Hector Santiago and reliever Cesar Ramos, agreed to terms on 2015 contracts with the Angels on Thursday, avoiding arbitration.

Backup catcher Drew Butera, acquired in a December trade from the Dodgers, signed for $987,500 to also avoid arbitration.

Santiago, who went 6-9 last season with a 3.75 earned run average in 30 games, 24 of them starts, signed for $2.29 million. The 26-year-old, who was demoted to triple-A Salt Lake for three weeks last May and June, was acquired from the Chicago White Sox in a three-team deal for slugger Mark Trumbo before 2014.

Ramos, who went 2-6 with a 3.70 ERA in 43 games, seven of them starts, for the Tampa Bay Rays last season, signed for $1,312,500. The 30-year-old former Long Beach State standout was acquired in November for minor league reliever Mark Sappington.

The Angels have five other players -- pitchers Garrett Richards and Fernando Salas, third baseman David Freese and outfielders Matt Joyce and Collin Cowgill -- eligible for arbitration this winter.

If they can't come to terms before Friday morning, they will exchange salary figures with the team. The sides will then have two weeks to agree on a 2015 contract before going to arbitration hearings, which are scheduled for Feb. 1-21.

-- Mike Digiovanna